


The Frozen Flame Book 2: (Re)union

by Balladbird



Series: The Frozen Flame Saga [2]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:13:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 32,105
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28426038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Balladbird/pseuds/Balladbird
Summary: Book 2 of the 'Frozen Flame Saga'.  As Weiss and her ghostly familiar journey across Mistral, reunions await.  Weiss finds her comrades again, as well as something Roman Torchwick believed he'd lost.  All the while, the thread of destiny continues to unravel, and hidden enemies reveal themselves.
Relationships: Neopolitan/Roman Torchwick, Neopolitan/Weiss Schnee, Weiss Schnee/Roman Torchwick
Series: The Frozen Flame Saga [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2082081
Comments: 4
Kudos: 26





	1. Kindness Can Be Cruel

**Author's Note:**

> This is the second book in a series. The first book can be found here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26102644/chapters/63493273

**Roman Torchwick**

The thirteen-year-old boy was draped in his quilt, the upper half of his face buried underneath one of his pillows as his drew his breath at a slow, even rhythm. He could see the few golden strands of morning sunlight that managed to slip beneath the boundary of his makeshift blindfold, and knew he was probably oversleeping, but he just couldn’t bring himself to care.  
  
His blanket was soft, his pillow was deep, his bed was warm, and life was good. In fact, come to think of it, his bed was entirely _too_ warm. He could feel a strange source of heat filling the mattress beside him, parts of it wrapped about his left arm like tendrils.   
  
…That caused the boy to groan. He hesitantly opened his emerald eyes, heedless of their protest, and sat upright, throwing open his blankets to investigate the strange warmth. A girl was laying there, her arms and legs wrapped tightly around his arm as she slumbered peacefully. She was a few years younger than he was, and a great deal smaller, with pale skin and shoulder-length brown hair. After a few seconds, the chill of the removed blanket caused her to stir, and her eyelids flickered open. When her brown eyes met his own, she flashed a warm, sincere smile.  
  
“I had a feelin’…” The boy mused, returning her smile and giving a resigned sigh. She’d managed to sneak into his room again, somehow. The girl pulled herself up onto her knees beside him, cocking her head and flashing a toothy grin as she wiggled her eyebrows.   
  
“Want me to figure out how you did it, huh?” The boy grumbled, scratching his shoulder before stretching with a yawn. “Sure, great. I love trying to use my brain first thing in the morning.” He threw his legs over the side of the bed and pushed himself onto his feet, trembling as the chill of the early-winter air began to sink into his shirtless chest. Part of him devoutly wished he could just go back to sleep, but he had to admit he was curious.  
  
He slowly trudged up to investigate his bedroom door, his little tormentor leaping from the bed and following behind him, bouncing from foot to foot as she silently giggled to herself. When he reached his door, he extended his hand and tested the knob, surprised to find that it refused to turn.  
  
“Still locked… you didn’t come in this way, then.” He said firmly, casting a bright green eye back toward the girl. She flashed still more of her teeth as she fervently nodded, though he didn’t really need the confirmation. Having him try to guess how she did it was part of the fun for her, so she’d never do something as dishonest as erase the evidence of her entry.   
  
Indeed, this was the fourth time she’d pulled this stunt. First, she got in by stealing the key, so his dad started sleeping with the key around his neck. After that she picked the lock, so they had to install a deadbolt on the inside wall. It took her a few days to figure out how to get in after that, but she eventually pulled it off by stuffing pillows and plush animals under her blanket in a humanoid shape, creating the illusion of being in her room while she hid out in his closet and waited for everyone else to go to bed.  
Her commitment to getting in here was impressive, at least. Honestly, he didn’t mind if she wanted to sleep in his room, but after a few months his parents had started to object. There reasoning was fair, but he had a hard time accepting it.   
  
Ah well, back to business. If it wasn’t the door, then… He scanned his room. Wood-post twin bed, dresser, shelves lined with books and toys… nothing there that would help an intruder gain access. Maybe she got in through the window? Indeed, as he walked to the other end of his room and checked the exterior wall, he saw that the window’s latch had been pulled free.   
  
“H-how did you do this form the o-“ He began to inquire but saw the answer before he could even finish the sentence. Each of the house’s window latches had a fingerhole in the end to aid in locking or unlocking the pane. A thin length of wire had been slipped through that hole, extending along the sideways length of the window and through a tiny crack between the windowsill and the surrounding wall. He gripped the end of the wire, pulling the entire length of it into the house. It really was just length of metal… about three feet long, and as thick as pencil lead.  
  
“Did you unwind a clothes hanger?” He asked, inspecting the makeshift tool with a thoughtful frown. By now the girl’s smile was so wide it threatened to tear her face in half as she nodded still more vigorously, eliciting a sigh from the older boy, who used the wire to bop her head playfully. He was starting to piece together how she gotten in here. She must have unwound the hanger, gone outside, wedged the wire into a weak spot in the wall, then worked it up to undo the window latch.  
  
That must have taken hours of patient work… and it was damned cold last night.  
  
“I… I’m lucky you’re not out to kill me.” He finally muttered with a shrug, reaching out to rest his hand atop her head. This seemed to delight her to no end, as her body began to tremble with the force of a violent bout of giggles, the mirthful expression silent save for the hissing sound of her breath passing through her lips. He let her have her fun, heading to his dresser to throw on a plain white t-shirt before moving back toward the door.  
  
“C’mon, then. Let’s get you back in your own room before the old man finds out you snuck out again. You’re running out of ways to break into my room.” He said as he slid back the deadbolt and unlocked the knob, turning it slowly to make as little noise as possible. He reached toward his companion, jerking his fingers in a summoning gesture before stepping out into the dimly lit hallway. Her bedroom was right next door to his-- a compromise his father had made with her when the adults made the decision to start forcing them to separate—so if they were quiet and quick about it, hopefully they could sneak her back before anyone was wise to what she’d done. The pair of them stepped out and began to creep along the brown-carpeted floor, but only made it a few feet down the hall before a firm, feminine voice called out from behind them.  
  
“Hello, son.” The boy felt his heart jerk, both out of dread at having been caught and excitement out of recognizing who was speaking. He turned around, unable to contain his joy as his eyes confirmed what his ears suspected.  
  
“Mom!” He shouted, forgetting for a moment that he’d been caught and running to embrace her. After his most recent growth spurt, he was finally a little taller than she was, so he could straight into her deep amber eyes as she returned the hug, half a lit cigar hanging from the corner of her mouth.   
  
“Way to make it worth the trouble of surprising you, Leon!” The middle-aged woman was much more reserved about her joy than her son, but a contented smile had none the less spread across her lips as she returned his embrace, laughing softly and letting her fingertips trail through his short red hair.  
  
The little girl looked up at Leon’s mother with narrowed eyes, her lips held in a flat, tense line. When Leon finally broke away from the woman’s arms, the child promptly tucked herself behind his back, drawing one of her hands to the waistband of his flannel pajama pants and gripping the soft fabric. 

“And Neo, you’re looking a lot less like a skeleton now. That’s good!” When his mother turned her attention to the girl, the child only barely extended enough of her face beyond his back to peek a single eye up at her. She gave a curt nod of her head before ducking back behind her human shield. Neo was intensely uncomfortable around people who weren’t Leon, especially adults. Over the past few months, she’d gradually grown more comfortable around his dad, but since his mom was often gone for weeks at a time, the two of them had yet to develop any such rapport.   
  
His mother took a long drag of the cigar between her lips, exhaling the smoke through her nostrils with a concerned sigh.  
  
“I take it she spent the night in your room, again?”  
  
Leon looked away, his bright green eyes narrowing as he turned down the corner of his mouth. He was silent for a long few seconds before he finally looked back at her with a determined scowl.  
  
“You’re not supposed to be smokin’ in the house, mom.” He said firmly. The redirection caught his mother off-guard, who gave an amused chuckle.  
  
“I just got home twenty minutes ago, and your dad won’t be back until this afternoon! You really going to judge me for this one last smoke before I go clean for a few weeks?” She reached out and poked his forehead with two of her fingers. “Did I raise a snitch, Leon?”  
  
“…maybe. What’s my silence worth?” The redheaded boy tried his best to keep his determined look, but couldn’t resist allowing a small, cocky grin to spread across his lips. This evolved his mother’s chuckle into a full-on laugh, and she shook her head.  
  
“I see. ‘mutually assured destruction’, is it? Fine, son. Just this once.” She shrugged her shoulders, taking a final drag on her smoke, bending her knee, and crushing out the flame of the cigar on the heel of her boot before returning it to her pocket. “We’ll both pretend we didn’t see anything this morning.”

Leon’s mother was an Atlesian military specialist, and it seemed she truly had just returned home, as she was still wearing her uniform. She was a short woman, with shoulder-length black hair, tanned skin, and dark amber eyes. Unlike his endlessly friendly and extroverted old man, his mom was much more reserved and judgmental—usually trying to be kind, but without being especially shy about mocking people who deserve it. 

After conceded the point she looked at the children, her son and his… stray cat hidden behind him. It was tempting to call her his ‘sister’, but that didn’t quite fit. After all, he was the one who named her… not a task that normally fell onto big brothers.  
  
“That said, while you’re getting away with it this time, this needs to stop.” She said. Where before her voice had a playful quality to it, she was stern now, wanting to make sure he understood she was being a parent this time.   
  
“…I know.” Leon looked away and frowned deeply, Neo shrinking even more firmly against the small of his back. This elicited a sigh from his mom.  
  
“We’re not doing this to be mean. You realize that, right? She has to learn how to function without you. You’re becoming a crutch for her.”  
  
Leon scrunched his face, balled his hands into fists, and turned his eyes down to the floor, bringing a maternal smile to his mother’s lips. It was body language he often used when someone said something he knew was correct, but he didn’t want to admit to.   
  
“Easy for you and the old man to say.” He finally said, reaching up to brush his bangs from his face. “I’m the one who has to listen to her sobbing at night.”

“Leon, do you know what ‘codependency’ is?”  
  
Her son didn’t answer, merely flashing her a pointed look that implied a protest of ‘…I’m 13, Mom.’ Behind him, Neo tightened her grip on his clothes, pressing her head against his back as if to preemptively protest any suggestion that they needed to be separated.   
  
“Listen, you’re a good-hearted kid, Leon. I mean that! Of all the kids I’ve ever met you’re… somewhere in my top ten. Perfectly tolerable.” His Mother’s voice took on its default playfulness as she continued. “So, I know you think you’re being nice to her, but think about it. I couldn’t tell you what, but that girl has been through something terrible. Trauma changes people, especially kids. It can make ‘em close themselves off from the world. If we don’t fix it while she’s young, she might not get better.”  
  
Leon’s stomach twisted, his head turning to cast an eye at the girl clinging to him. When she saw he was looking at her, she looked back up at him, her eyes shifting from brown to pink as she gave him a desperate frown and shook her head. He tried to give her a smile to reassure her, but his lips wavered as they attempted to curve, and he had to abandon the attempt.  
  
_Yeah, Neo. I don’t like any of this, either._  
  
For the first six months she’d been living with him, the two of them were almost never apart. He’d done his best to introduce her to life in the town proper, serving as both a tour guide and a large back to hide behind if an adult happened to get closer than she was comfortable with. She reacted to the sights of the boring-as-crap community as if it were an amusement park, treating everything Leon showed her with such wide-eyed, genuine enthusiasm that is almost made him like his hometown, too. Almost.   
  
Even then, though, it was clear she had… issues with people. She loved to pull pranks, to the extent of occasionally starting fights with the other children, but outside needling others for her own amusement, she seemed aggressively apathetic toward other people. Leon didn’t really notice that at first… he, too, was aggressively apathetic toward other people, but his dad sure did.  
  
The tipping point came last month. Leon wasn’t sure of the reason, but Neo was completely incapable of speech. When the condition persisted after she’d had a few months to adjust to her new life, the counsellor at their school had approached Neo about starting to learn sign language. Her reaction to this was, well… she stomped her foot, scowling deeply and crossing her arms. After that she refused to respond to anything the teacher said or did, forcing them to call Leon into the office.  
  
From the day they’d met, Leon had an almost supernatural capacity for understanding her body language, and indeed, he was able to tell them why she wasn’t interested: She didn’t need sign language to communicate with him, and she didn’t give the slightest crap about communicating with anyone else, so she wasn’t interested. She’d already begun to suspect that the adults were planning to separate them, and she wasn’t about to cooperate.   
  
He conveyed her sentiments with a casual shrug, but his parent’s reaction was a bit less relaxed. That was when this whole mess had started. Neo had been given the spare bedroom from the start, but his Dad had originally been willing to look the other way when she promptly ignored that and slept with Leon instead. Now conscious effort was made to try to keep her there at night.   
  
“If she’s happy this way, then who cares?” He finally said, trying to look his mother in the eyes, but finding he couldn’t bring himself to do it. He knew he was wrong, but dammit! How could something that made Neo this miserable be good for her?  
  
“Then what, Leon? You two grow up and she just never leaves your side? Spends the rest of her life hiding behind your back?” Her question made her son’s shoulders sag, and she reached out to draw a hand through his hair with a soft expression. “Is such an uneven relationship fair for her?”  
  
“I don’t know. Why not? I’m not going anywhere.” His usually cocky, obstinate voice was barely more than a whisper now, his head pointed down. His mother gave a disappointed snort, followed swiftly by another poke to the forehead.  
  
“Listen, you narcissistic little gremlin, this isn’t about you. I know that you have trouble getting close to people. I know that it can feel good to be this important to someone, and I know that you beat yourself up when people you care about are hurting. This is about what’s good for Neo. She’ll always be your friend, but she needs to find the strength to face the world without you. She’s too young to accept that for herself right now, so if you really care about her, you need to help her. Sometimes kindness— true kindness—is painful for everyone.”

A long silence fell between the two of them, and Leon could feel Neo shaking her head against his back. He took a deep breath, followed by another, his balled fists slacking and tightening a few times. After a few seconds, he finally looked up again, his lips placed flat as he offered an irresolute nod.  
  
“Yeah… I know.” He said quietly.  
  
“You’re not in trouble or anything… you happened to catch me in a moment of weakness, so we’ll pretend we didn’t see each other this morning. Just keep it in mind for next time, eh?” His mother leaned in to kiss his forehead as he raised his face, taking a step back and stretching. “I promise we’ll take it slow; we aren’t just going to throw her out to the wild right off the bat. Now then, your Dad’ll be home soon, what say you two go get dressed? Since I’m here, I may as well pretend to be some kind of mom and feed everybody.   
  
“I, uh… I’d prefer if you didn’t do that, actually. We can wait for the old man to cook when he gets back.” Leon groaned. His mom narrowed her eyes and gave him still a third poke to the forehead.  
  
“I’ll give your objection all the thought it deserves, brat.” She said in a tone so devoid of emotion that it sent a shiver down his spine. She turned on her heel, raising her middle finger behind her back as she stormed off to the kitchen.   
  
“Real mature, Mom.” Leon chuckled and shrugged. Only after it was clear his mother was truly gone did Neo finally release her grip on him, darting around to his front and looking up into his eyes. The light in front of her refracted for a moment, as if bouncing off glass, and she began shifting the colors of her hair and eyes, from pink, to white, and back to their original brown. He wasn’t sure whether that was something she’d always been able to do, or something she’d learned since coming to live with him, but she didn’t seem to be able to control it properly yet. 

  
“I don’t think they’re gonna drop this, Neo. We may have to give it a try. It’ll be okay… I won’t let ‘em keep me too far away from ya.” He tried his best to sound reassuring, despite being less than thrilled by any of this himself, but she clearly wasn’t in the mood to be reassured. She crossed her arms and shook her head firmly, a worried grimace on her face.  
  
“I’m telling you; you’ll be okay. You’re a lot stronger than you think you are. We’ll have to show them that, too.”   
  
Neo crinkled her nose at this, tapping two fingers against her arm as she looked up thoughtfully. After a moment she nodded in agreement with whatever thought she’d just had, meeting Leon’s eyes with a mischievous gaze and flexing her arms melodramatically. The older boy looked at this for a moment before laughing.  
  
“You can try to bulk up if you want; I’ll even help if I can. Who knows? Maybe next time they see us I’ll be the one hidin’ behind your back.” He conceded, before adding with a wink, “…though, I don’t know. I may need to crouch a little bit, first.”  
  
The girl rolled her eyes, sighing in exasperation, but after a moment she shrugged and silently laughed along with him. The pair of them resumed their walk to her bedroom, laughing together, as the scene suddenly evaporated into strands of black smoke, melting away until only an abyss of darkness remained. As that darkness began to swirl, the familiar voice of a fallen Grimm echoed loudly throughout the nothingness:  
  
“As you struggle to escape your death, you will bring suffering and lamentation to those you love most. When the day comes that you realize the futility of your efforts, and fall into despair, you will know that Aibell’s grudge is finally repaid…”  
  
The voice rang out until the final word was spoken, then fell silent as the void of darkness swallowed everything.  
  


  
***

Roman blinked, feeling his consciousness violently jerk itself back into reality. He was standing in the middle of a broad dirt road, with lush, unbroken forest on either side. With a groan, he gripped his head, momentarily uncertain of where he was or what he was doing.   
  
“Oh! There you are.” A relieved female voice behind him caused him to turn, one eye peeking around his shoulder to face his travel companion. Weiss’ light blue eyes were wide, her brow knit in concern as she stared at him. “I turned around and you were gone, I thought maybe you were scouting out the woods.”  
  
“I was… gone?” He parroted her words, as if hoping hearing them a second time might help him comprehend them. At the very least he was starting to shake the weird, muddled static in his brain that had been buzzing ever since he woke up.  
  
Wait, woke up? Had he been asleep? Had that been a dream? He hadn’t slept a single time since he came back from death, why would he start now? 

His mind ran over everything he’d seen--his old bedroom, his home, Neo, his mother— it was a memory from his childhood, but so vivid that he felt as if he were living it over again. Was that what Weiss saw when she slept, too? Damn, almost felt like she was seeing him naked!  
  
Come to think of it, if she saw his memories when she slept, and he was asleep, why did he see his own memories instead of hers? That hardly seemed fair.  
  
This flurry of thoughts caused him to freeze up, and he didn’t notice that he’d abandoned his discussion with Weiss mid-stream and turned away from her. The girl moved around him, but as she got a better look at his face, the lines of concern that had begun to dig their way into her forehead only grew deeper.   
  
“Roman, are you okay?” Her voice had grown softer now, almost sad, as she covered her mouth with her fist. The question only added to Roman’s confusion, until he realized his eyes had been burning ever since he’d ‘woken up’. He hesitantly reached up, drawing two fingers along his cheekbone and pulling them back to find the fabric of his glove had been darkened by moisture.   
  
He was… crying?  
  
“Hey, I’m perfectly fine, Weiss Cream.” He said in his usual, confident tone, snickering as the name drew a groan from his tiny partner. The terms of their wager were that he had to call her ‘Weiss’, but she’d never specified he had to stop there. “I just zoned out for a second, there. We’ve been walking like this for a long time, after all.”  
  
The answer clearly didn’t erase her worry, but she seemed to know it was all he was going to say on the matter, so after a final frown she nodded, reaching out to pat his arm before continuing on. Roman took a deep breath, drawing the length of his forearm across his face in an effort to dry it, then followed along behind.   
  
His heart felt like it was trapped in a vice, and his stomach was tense and swirling. Maybe tears were the natural reaction to seeing those two again. Especially as vividly as he had. It felt like old wounds had been torn open inside him. Wounds he’d begun to hope may have finally scabbed over.   
  
Torchwick and Weiss had been together for two months now, and in all that time nothing like this had ever happened before. He wanted to dismiss it as a one-off fluke, but something about it worried him… hopefully his connection to the Ice Queen was still going strong.  
  
The two of them walked in for a long while after that, occasionally exchanging a few polite words, but largely in silence. Since arriving in Mistral, they’d spent countless days walking, and while Torchwick’s stamina was infinite, Weiss had begun to truly experience the effects of her sedentary life back at the manor. Between exhaustion and soreness, she was prone to getting snippy if he teased her too far, a trait that alternatively amused and terrified him.  
  
“We shouldn’t be too far away, now.” Weiss took a deep breath, reaching into her pocket, pulling out a crumpled sheet of paper, and looking over the writing with a thoughtful frown.   
  
“Talking about that cabin?” Roman asked. Every time they stopped by a settlement; Weiss would ask around for clues about her friends. This side-trip was born from one of those leads—a traveling merchant saying she’d encountered a group of teenage huntsmen in the area. “We’re losing half a day walking this direction, you know. A lot of time to waste chasing old information.”  
  


In truth, Torchwick simply hated the thought that they might be here. Part of him was happy to see Weiss so motivated, but he was in no rush for this little reunion of hers to take place. Even with literal weeks to try to brace himself, he still wasn’t sure how he’d react when he saw Little Red again.

  
“Accord to Winter, they’re probably headed to Haven Academy. If we know the destination, we’ll cross paths with them eventually, so I don’t mind checking out any tips we pick up along the way.” Weiss shook her head, double-checking the instructions she’d jotted down. Roman shrugged a shoulder at this, bending a hand to the side.  
  
“Right, Haven Academy, I got that. So, don’t misconstrue this as complaining-- not like I can get tired or anything-- but did it ever occur to you that we could have just flown all the way there? Walking across an entire gods-damned kingdom seems to be taking a toll on you.”  
  
Weiss closed her eyes, refolding the paper and returning it to her pocket before responding.  
  
“We put that pilot through enough trouble already. Flying all the way across Mistral would have been too much to ask, especially with so much bandit activity in the area.” When the word ‘bandit’ escaped her lips, Weiss abruptly stopped walking, her eyes opening as all expression melted away from her face. After a moment she realized she’d frozen up, and shook her head, reaching to massage her brow with her fingertips.   
  
“Whoa, there. We can’t both be zoning out at the same time.” It was Roman’s turn to be worried for his partner’s well-being.   
  
“Oh no, It’s- Well, actually,” she debated with herself for a moment before admitting, “I want to say it’s nothing, but after everything that’s happened in the past few weeks, I can’t be so sure.”  
  
“Yeah! After everything we’ve been through, nothing surprises me anymore. What’s bothering you?” Torchwick asked. Was she going through something weird now, too? Maybe their connection really was going wonky.  
  
“It’s hard to describe. Ever since we fought the talking Grimm back at the mountain, I sometimes get this weird feeling. To the effect of, ‘something’s wrong. Things weren’t meant to happen this way.’” Weiss traced the end of her ponytail with her hand as she spoke. “I don’t know. It’s as if some part of me thinks it knows what the future holds, but it keeps getting it wrong.”   
  
“Heh. So, you’re a seer too? The summoner seer Schnee… you really did win the lottery when you were born.” Torchwick said in a flippant tone, earning an annoyed glare for his effort.   
  
“Of course not, you jerk! I’d never felt anything like this before that fight, but it hasn’t stopped ever since. When that nice old woman warned us about the Branwen tribe, the feeling started up again. It felt…wrong that we’d made it this far without crossing paths with those bandits.”  
  
Torchwick sighed. It was clear to him now that this whole thing was bugging her worse than she was trying to pretend it did. Having heard what was bothering her, he was a bit less than concerned, though. Sounded to him like her worrywart brain was just contriving a new, exciting way for her to stress herself out. Still, it wasn’t that much stranger than everything else to do with their current situation, so he found himself inclined to somewhat believe her.

“So, the ‘bad’ thing in this situation is that we didn’t get accosted by brigands? I hate to break it to ya, but it sounds like we’re living in the better timeline, here.”  
  
“Maybe. I don’t know. It feels like I’ve missed something really important.” She hugged her sides, her light blue gaze cast down into the dirt before her. Torchwick picked up his pace to walk beside her. Cheering people up wasn’t really a talent of his, but clearly, he had to say something here, right?

“You’re doing this to yourself again. Remember what I told you back at the mansion? There ain’t any such thing as fate, and no one ‘belongs’ anywhere they don’t want to be. No one can write our future except us, and even if the gods want to enforce some kinda destiny, well, screw ‘em! Have you seen the world, Weiss? There are literal fear monsters running around eating people! Any god who would intentionally create a world like this is too vicious or too stupid to be kept in charge of the future.”

Torchwick had never taken much stock in determinism. Sure, he believed everything was terrible, things would always change for the worse, and the bad guy would always win… but that had nothing to do with gods or fate. That was just because the world was run by people, and people unilaterally sucked.   
  
No, the future was a fragile thing. A butterfly flaps its wings a little differently, and soon the world is unrecognizable.  
  
Weiss paused, eyes shifting up to meet his as she offered a weak, indecisive smile.

“I guess it’s pretty silly to be this worried about something so vague.” She said softly. 

“Not silly, really. Like you said, it’s hard to dismiss anything when you’re being haunted by a ghost. Even if it is silly, it’s not that that’ll stop you. It’s a full-time job, stopping you from giving yourself anxiety attacks on a daily basis.” Torchwick responded playfully. 

“Oh, PLEASE! I’m not surprised a narcissist like you overstates his own importance. I’d fare just fine on my own!” She gave an aggressive ‘humph’, her face tensing up in that way it always did when she reached her preferred level of annoyed. Torchwick maintained his flippant façade, though, knitting his fingers together and leaning his head back against his hands.   
  
“You think so? I dunno, Weiss Cream. You don’t handle being alone very well, from what I’ve seen.”  
  
“By the gods, Roman… really? Hmm, what’s this? ‘ring, ring, ring’?” Weiss pantomimed pulling a scroll out of her pocket and raising it to her ear, nodding her head as she pretended to hear a conversation. “Oh, it’s Mr. Pot. Sounds like he has some _extraordinarily strong_ words for Ms. Kettle.”

“That’s, heh.” He began, but couldn’t resist starting to laugh at that, leaning back to look up at the tree-line on either side of them. “That was pretty good, actually.” 

“Thank you. I’ve been under the instruction of quite an expert clown, lately.” Weiss beamed up at Torchwick, puffing out her chest. He guessed she was proud to finally be the one who made _him_ break into laughter.

“Damn right! Hopefully, you keep all that tutelage in mind when the gang’s back together.”  
  
An emotion Torchwick didn’t recognize passed through Weiss’ soft blue eyes. Her smile remained, but some imperceptible thing about it changed as she suddenly shifted her weight, kicking a leg absently and looking away from him.   
  
“Oh, don’t misunderstand me, Roman. I’d have been fine on my own, but I’m still glad you’re here.” A light blush colored the pale skin of her cheeks as she sighed. “Having you with me has been… surprisingly tolerable. I wouldn’t mind if it were to continue for a while, even after we find my friends.”

‘Tolerable’, huh? Her word-choice stuck in Torchwick’s chest, reminding him of the memories he’d just finished living. He put a hand over his heart, feigning shock.  
  
“Goodness, Weissicle! That’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me when you weren’t suffering from a traumatic head injury.”  
  
“Yes, well,” Her blush worsened as she huffed at his teasing. “I just wanted to make sure I expressed my appreciation for what you’ve done! Unlike a certain thief, I try to pay my debts.”

Maybe it was a testament to how weird this day had been for her that she was feeling so sentimental. Worry about the future aside, she was on the precipice of something she’d been longing for. The mix of anxiety and excitement tended to make anyone emotional. He didn’t have much to be ‘excited’ about, but he could empathize about that much, at least.

Maybe it was a testament to how weird this day had been for him that he was feeling sentimental, too. His thoughts hadn’t fully left that dream since the moment he awoke. His past with Neo, that brief little moment in their lives between meeting each other and leaving his hometown, and the worries his family had for them. They hadn’t been wrong to worry, after all. He and Neo really did end up rejecting everyone in the world except each other.   
  
_Neo…_  
  
That familiar numb weight began to swell into his gut, inviting the black ocean of despair he kept dammed in his heart to try to break free. That had been the first time he had seen her face since he came back to life, and the first time he’d thought about their childhood since long before that. She really had managed to flip the script on their relationship, hadn’t she? In the end, he was the one hiding behind her back.

He strained, trying to force the growing tide of negative emotions back into their repressed corner of his brain. Once again, his thoughts fell to that night above Beacon, and the look of horror on Neo’s face as the strong winds pulled her into the void. For once, though, his self-defense mechanism didn’t trigger; he didn’t immediately force himself to focus on his hatred toward Little Red for the murder. Instead, for just a moment, he let himself ponder Neo’s death, and the regrets it had left within him.

_If I’d known that would be the last time I ever saw you, would I have said something? What could I have said?_

“Really, though, Weiss.” Torchwick took a deep breath, bringing a hand to his neck as he bent his head to crack it. His voice had taken on an uncharacteristic earnestness. “I can honestly say that I’m glad you were the person I got stuck to. I, uh, find you pretty tolerable, yourself. I skimp out on payin’ my debts whenever I can, but I make an exception for people I like. If you ever need anything, well, I’ll always be at the end of our leash.” 

She looked up at him, and he somehow managed to give her a warm smile despite the tumult within him. There may have been so many more days of walking to come, and they may both have their own ominous feelings abut the future, but for just a moment the journey had begun to feel a little more pleasant.


	2. The Place I Long to Be

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day Weiss has longed for comes to pass, but why can't she shake that uncanny feeling?

**Weiss Schnee**

“Seriously, though. It’s fine. I promise I won’t tell anyone.” Torchwick was trying his best to sound reassuring, but his voice still carried that teasing undertone of his. Weiss crinkled her nose, her hands balling into fists as she stopped a moment and shook with rage. 

“Your silence isn’t the issue. It’s just embarrassing! I can walk on my own.” She took a deep breath, wiping away some of the sweat accumulating on her brow before turning away from him in a huff. This discussion was over.

The two of them had been walking through the forest for the past hour. Ugh! So much miserable walking! She meant what she’d said about not wanting to endanger the life of her pilot, but she’d be lying to say she didn’t still regret dismissing him, a little bit. 

She was more ashamed to admit that she was already missing her wealth. That was the biggest reason for this endless march. Weiss hadn’t been aware of how much she’d taken her charge card for granted until she’d arrived in Mistral. Every last lien she’d managed to scrounge together before leaving the manor was being stretched thin. Food, lodging, supplies… everything had a cost, and for the first time in her life, money was a finite resource. 

The dust she’d been awarded by the mountain village helped, and on occasion she would accept Grimm elimination requests from towns they passed through, but on the whole, she was perpetually on the verge of running out of money.  
  
“It’s not like it’d be the first time or anything, right? You didn’t complain back on the mountain, as I recall.” Roman sighed in exasperation, throwing up his arms. The reminder brought a flush to Weiss’ cheeks as she quickened her pace with a groan. His proposal was utterly unacceptable!  
  


Damn was she temped, though.

“That doesn’t count! I wasn’t myself at the time. It was… a very strange night. Ugh! That’s not the point, anyway. You’re not carrying me, you stubborn crook!” He had to bring _that_ up again! She’d said a lot of things in that compromised position that she wished she could take back, less because they were untrue and more because they were unfiltered.  
  
She took a deep breath, looking back at the tall, red-haired man who followed along behind her. When he realized she was looking at him, he clicked his tongue and gave her a playful wink, eliciting a roll of her eyes in return. Thinking back to that night on the mountain, when she’d gotten herself injured, and he carried her to safety, never failed to leave her feeling conflicted.   
  
Roman Torchwick. A former enemy whom she wound up existing alongside by the whims of fate. A man who had attacked her team so many times she’d almost lost count. He was slimy, narcissistic, underhanded, and had played a role in helping to destroy Beacon Academy, under Cinder’s command. Weiss seldom had cause to think about him before their current arrangement, but on the rare occasion that she did, he evoked nothing but disgust from her.  
  
All of that was still true, but now it grappled with redeeming qualities she hadn’t realized he possessed. Roman was also more supportive than he liked to pretend, articulate, and a surprisingly good listener. More than anything, though—owing perhaps to her glimpses into his past—she came to the realization that he was fiercely loyal and protective to the people he cared about. 

Well, the ‘person’ he cared about. He seemed to have shut himself off from most everyone else in the world. That loyalty and protectiveness wasn’t a minor thing, either. It seemed to be (second only to his ego,) one of the most fundamental pieces of who he was as a person.

…Also, he smelled _really_ good.   
  
She felt her blush darken, and it drew a frown to her lips. Why did that keep springing to her mind? It was the detail of that night she remembered the most clearly: feeling secure and surrounded by that scent. Tobacco and spiced vanilla, a combination that felt so warm and safe to her. Sometimes the memory of it would come to her as she was drifting off to sleep, and her heart would start to race.  
  
Weiss groaned, smacking her cheeks with her palms and shaking her head. Thinking like that made it sound like a crush, which it most assuredly was not! He was her friend, and she was indebted to his aid, but that was the extent of her feelings for him. Whatever worries her sister may have for her, Weiss was most assuredly not into ‘bad boys’. She was only barely into ‘boys’ at all!

…besides, what about Neo?

That thought felt like a knife in Weiss’ gut, and she didn’t know why. Roman’s memories of Neo made the girl feel strangely familiar to Weiss. The look in her eyes reminded Weiss of herself, and it invoked curiosity and empathy even beyond Roman’s abundant affection for her. There was something else behind those feelings, though. She often caught herself thinking ‘if Roman cared half as much about the rest of humanity as he did about Neo, he would actually be really cool’. If she let herself be fully honest about the sentiment, however, it wasn’t ‘the rest of humanity’ she really meant when she thought that.   
  
Had she insisted he start calling her by name out of jealousy? No, damn it! This endless walking was driving her insane. She needed to get out of her head.   
  
“Uh, everything okay, Edelweiss?” Roman asked, forcing Weiss to realize that perhaps her little argument with herself wasn’t as invisible as she’d hoped.  
  
“I’m fine! Fine!” She huffed, reaching up to slide her ponytail back over her shoulder. Roman looked her over curiously, his gaze distant, before he finally shrugged.  
  
“Right, then. Sorry.” He replied, his tone uncharacteristically submissive.   
  
Weiss frowned at this, stepping through the trees as she kept her eyes peeled for the path she’d been looking for. Something was wrong with her partner today, though she couldn’t put a finger on why she felt that way. He just seemed…listless, ever since he’d pulled his little vanishing act earlier that morning. Still, she knew he’d deflect the question if she tried to ask about it, so she swallowed her concern and decided to push her focus onto the task she’d given herself.  
  
They moved through the forest in silence for a few minutes after that, her light blue eyes scanning the leaf-strewn dirt beneath her as she pulled her way between trees and over undergrowth. When she finally found the small, worn pathway she’d been looking for, she gave a little grunt of satisfaction and pumped her fist. She knew this would work out!  
  
She leapt down from the incline she’d been standing on and landed on the dirt path below. She turned in a slow circle, surveying the area around her as she tried to orient herself, only to suddenly come to a halt. In an instant the breath vanished from her chest and time seemed to stop.  
  
She wasn’t alone… There was someone else here with her.

“What’s-“Roman saw that she had come to a halt, as he too made it through the forest and down the incline, but cut his question short as he saw what she’d seen. He exhaled tensely as he, too, came to a stop. His lips moved wordlessly for a moment, green eyes fixated on the pair of newcomers in front of them, before he was finally able to release an agitated, throaty, “…you…”

There was a pair of people standing in the path before them… people whose presence brought a warm tightness to Weiss’ chest. A stunned silence had fallen over the other duo, as well, and an eternal few seconds passed in stillness as the two groups simply stared at one another.  
  
“I…don’t believe it.” Of the two newcomers, it was the tall blonde boy who spoke first, deep blue eyes widened as he stared at Weiss with his lower lip trembling. He was composing himself better than his companion, however. The shorter, dark haired girl’s silver eyes were glistening with tears and she stood silently still, hardly breathing.   
  
Weiss’ diaphragm stuttered as she attempted to draw in a breath, a heavy weight behind her eyes causing a damn to burst as lines of tears began to freely pour down her cheeks. The world around them seemed to melt away as she looked at the boy, her gaze moving from him and stopping completely when it reached the girl alongside him.   
  
This girl’s black hair was a little longer now, but as unkempt as ever. Her red hood was drawn back and only visible over her shoulders, but that same gray, rose-shaped clasp still held it in place. Weiss recognized her immediately. Indeed, Weiss could live to be one hundred and she would never forget her appearance. The white-haired teen blinked away her tears, her mouth opening and closing like a gasping fish as words continued to climb toward her lips only to be lost in the warm emotions flooding her.   
  
“…Ruby!” It was all Weiss could do to shout the name of her friend as she finally regained control of her body, running toward her long-missed teammate.  
  
“Weiss! It’s really you!” Ruby had reacted to the site of Weiss in about the same way Weiss had reacted to her, and her voice came out less in a series of words than in a series of word-like, choking sobs. The small girl ran toward Weiss, and when the two of them met in the middle of their path they threw their arms around one another in a warm embrace.  
  
“I knew I’d find you. I knew we’d meet again. I knew it. I knew it!” In more normal days, Weiss may have taken care to act more composed, or to downplay her affection for her teammate and friend… but this was not a normal day. Her frustration, her helplessness, all the negative emotions she’d been stockpiling for months melted away in an instant, replaced instead with relief and elation as the day she’d dreamed of since Beacon’s fall had finally come.   
  
“I’m so glad you’re okay, Weiss!” Ruby buried her face against Weiss’ shoulder as she spoke, the grip of her arms tightening around the pale girl’s back in a gesture so painful as to almost trigger Weiss’ aura. Ruby was much stronger than anyone might realize, least of all herself. This was another of her traits that may have elicited a stern glare from Weiss were she not in such high spirits.   
  
The two girls embraced for more than a minute, repeating their tearful declarations of relief until finally, hesitantly, pulling apart with a smile.  
  
“It’s really good to see you again, Weiss.” The blonde boy said with a smile.   
  
“I’m glad you’re okay, too, Jaune.” She reflected his expression with a warm nod, sharing an embrace with the boy that wasn’t quite as long or as emotional, but still quite warm and happy. When that was finished and they pulled away, all three of them looked at each other… and came together for one last group hug, just for good measure.   
  
“Congratulations, Weiss.”

  
All the while, Weiss could see Torchwick out of the corner of her eye, wearing the same melancholy expression he’d had all day. His visible green eye never once broke its gaze at Ruby, though Weiss couldn’t read the emotion behind it. If his reaction to Winter back in the village was to be believed, Weiss would be able to sense it if he were feeling intense anger, but there was none of that coming from him in this moment. Only a strange emptiness she’d never felt from him before.   
  
Still, earnestly though she worried for him, there was no force that could distract her from the bliss she was currently experiencing, and she once again allowed herself to be swept away in her long-awaited reunion.  
  
***  
  
The cabin was a small, rustic structure in the center of the forest. It was designed in the Mistral style, its white, paper-like walls choked by ivy, with a few paned windows facing out toward the group as they approached. Weiss couldn’t help but grin at the sight of the building. It hadn’t been a waste of time! They’d really been here! She paused just a moment to catch her cheek between her thumb and forefinger, pinching the skin firmly. A sharp pain danced along her face, causing her to shudder.  
  
Even now, she was terrified she was dreaming!  
  
Ruby had taken Weiss’ wrist not long after they’d started walking together, jerking her down the path by her arm at an excited trot while Jaune moved along beside them, flashing a small, apologetic smile each time Weiss looked his way. There was no need for that, Jaune. In truth, part of Weiss had missed this side of Ruby, frustrating though it was.  
  
…huh, maybe Roman was right: she was at her most happy when she was also a little annoyed.  
  
Ruby led the group up along the small dirt path to the cabin’s front door, dragging Weiss all the while, until she reached the sliding entryway with a triumphant smirk. She touched her forehead to the dark wood of the door as she slid it open, peering into the building with a wide, goofy grin.

  
“Guys! You’re never gonna guess what we found outside today!” Ruby was scarcely resisting a fit of giggles as she didn’t even bother to give whoever was inside a chance to guess, turning around to put her other hand on Weiss’ forearm as she tugged her teammate inside.   
  
Weiss allowed herself to be tugged along, the sight of the three familiar faces within causing the warmth she’d been feeling since meeting Ruby to burn even more brightly within her. Ruby and Jaune hadn’t mentioned who they were traveling with, perhaps in a bid to preserve the surprise, and perhaps because they were simply so caught up in finding Weiss again that the subject hadn’t occurred to them, but either way, Weiss felt herself tearing up all over again.  
  
“No way! No way!!” A hyperactive feminine voice was the first to be heard, as its owner ran up to Weiss. She was a little shorter than the Ice Queen, and the pointed ends of her shoulder-length orange hair jostled a bit as she threw her arms around her newly found friend.   
  
“You seem well. It’s nice to receive some good news, for a change.” A young man standing behind the girl added with a smile. He much more composed than his partner, but no less excited, as his sharp pink eyes looked out at Weiss from behind the curtain of his long black bangs.   
  
Ren and Nora! Weiss had a feeling they would be here, after meeting Jaune, but that did little to dull her relief at seeing they were well. Like before, she hugged both of her friends in turn, feeling almost the way she had back at Beacon. Team JNPR and team RWBY had always been close, so in a way this felt like reconnecting with an old gang of friends, though Weiss couldn’t deny that when she saw Ruby, she had been hoping she might find-  
  
“If it ain’t the Snow Princess!” It said a lot about what Weiss had been going through for the past few months that, despite clearly recognizing the husky female voice that chimed in from outside her vision beside her… her gut impulse was to turn around and scold Torchwick. Still, the smile on her lips never wavered as she turned to face this new speaker, and the final surprise this reunion held for her.   
  
“Ya- “She had begun to greet her teammate, but as soon as her gaze fell upon the other woman, her voice abandoned her. Yang Xiao Long was the tallest member of team RWBY, though only a few inches above Weiss herself, and her golden hair fell around her head and past her shoulders like a curtain. It was her face, however, that had given Weiss pause. Only one of Yang’s lilac eyes returned Weiss’ gaze when she looked her way. The socket where the other should rest was covered by a thick white bandage, and her skin had been marked by a long vertical scar that ran the length of her face from her forehead to her chin.  
  
Weiss stood silent for a moment, wide-eyed as the reality of her friend’s injury began to sink into her mind. Yang offered a rueful smile at her reaction, nodding her head gently.  
  
“Don’t think I can pull off the eyepatch look?” Yang asked, her tone affecting a greater playfulness than she clearly felt about the situation. Weiss hadn’t intended to stare, but for some reason the sight of Yang’s damaged eye brought that familiar feeling back into her mind… that sensation that things weren’t meant to happen this way.

“How?” When Weiss found her voice again, this was all she could think to utter, an aghast grimace spreading all the wider across her face.   
  
“Guess you could say I had an unhappy disagreement with members of my extended family. Once of ‘em got a cheap shot in.” Yang admitted, matching her snowy friend’s expression as her gaze shifted to the side. This answer only made the uncanny feeling Weiss was experiencing redouble, however, as confusion was married to guilt in the core of her stomach.   
  
Why did she feel like this was all her fault? Tears once more weighted her eyes, this time a blend of joy at reunion and despair at the state of her friend, as she darted forward, burying her face into the blonde girl’s shoulder as her arms coiled around the small of her back.  
  
“I’m… I’m so sorry…” She muttered, shaking her head against her friend. It seemed like such a silly thing to say, but she couldn’t help it. Some part of her was nagging that this was all because of her. Because something she’d done violated what she should have been doing. Yang returned the embrace with a confused chuckle, shaking her head.   
  


“Hey, now! Ain’t your fault. They were a bunch of mooks, really! If I’d have just kept my head in the game I woulda been fine! Besides, clearly the gods anticipated this might happen, see?” She leaned back and winked her remaining eye with a playful smile. “… They were thoughtful enough to make sure to pack me a spare!”

Her words did little to assuage Weiss’ guilt, but she didn’t want to bring the mood down on such a wonderful day, so she looked up at Yang and gave the sincerest smile she could manage, under the circumstances.  
  
“I’m just so happy to see you again, Yang.” She said as her lips curled upward. The two hugged again before gently pulling apart.  
  
“Back atcha, Weiss!” Yang replied. “It’s okay if you’re a little jealous about me having a cool eye scar now, too…”   
  
The reunited party shared a few more embraces and a few more utterances of relief with one another before finally heading into the dining room to convene a bit more formally. The cabin’s long table was arranged in the Mistralian style: low to the ground, with a series of cushions set around it in place of chairs, so that diners could eat while seated on the floor. They arranged themselves about the table-- Ruby, Weiss, and Yang on one side, Jaune, Ren, and Nora on the other-- and began to speak.

The topic of discussion shifted multiple times as each of the groups shared what they’d learned in turn. Weiss listened intently as she learned of the fate of Ozpin, the adventures team RNJR had across Mistral during her absence, and what Yang had learned from her mother during her run-in with the Branwen tribe. It was a lot to take in… though part of Weiss was happy to hear that everyone had been growing in their own way. Part of her had always been envious of the strength her friends possessed, and it validated her to finally feel as if she were keeping pace with them in pursuing her own dreams.  
  
All the while, she debated what to say about her roommate. Even if she had been of a mind to lie to her friends, she wasn’t confident she could explain everything that had happened since her escape without mentioning him… and she had to tell them about the Fabled. As long as she and Torchwick were joined, there would be a risk of attack by those creatures, and her friends deserved to know about those dangers now that they were all together again.   
  
Before she could settle on how to explain what had happened to her, though, they were interrupted by the sound of the front door sliding open.  
  
“Geez! You kids are so damned loud. I could hear you from outside. What’s got you all riled up?” A tall, slender man with an unshaven face and unkempt black hair leaned his head into the dining room curiously. When the gaze of his dark eyes fell upon Weiss, he jerked his head, lips parting in shock. Weiss offered him a polite smile.  
  
Ah yes… Ruby’s uncle, if she remembered correctly. Qrow Branwen. Weiss was first introduced to him when he’d uncouthly picked a fight with Winter, a fact Weiss was still quite bitter about, but she supposed it was good to see that he was well! He seemed to sense the direction her thoughts had taken her, too. As the surprise subsided, he grinned sheepishly, raising two fingers in greeting.  
  
“Oh, yeah, I’d say this is cause for bein’ a little rowdy, huh?” The older man chuckled softly, stepping into the dining room. “Glad to see you finally made it home, Ice Queen.”  
  
“Yes, well, I suppose it’s good to see that you’ve survived, as well.” Weiss responded, looking away thoughtfully. She really was never going to escape from that nickname, was she? It used to annoy her quite a lot, though her stance on it had softened, lately. “Thank you for taking care of my friends.”  
  
Qrow shrugged with a resigned smile, as a boy Weiss didn’t recognize walked in beside him. He was a short, young man with tanned skin and a freckled face, who scanned the group at the table with soft hazel eyes. When his gaze fell upon Weiss, his eyes lit up.  
  
“Hello. You must be Weiss. Ruby’s talked about you a lot, so it’s nice to finally have a face to go with all the stories! Uh, my name is Oscar Pine.” He had a soft, polite voice, and offered a curt little bow as he introduced himself. Ruby flashed a wide, toothy grin, resting her arm on Weiss’ shoulder as if to confirm Oscar’s words. Weiss wasn’t sure what stories she’d been telling, but he seemed like a nice enough boy.  
  
“It’s nice to meet you too, Oscar.” Weiss bowed her head a bit in response to his introduction, looking him over thoughtfully. A white t-shirt, brown pants held up by orange suspenders, and thick boots… he really did look the part of a farm boy, but he had Ozpin’s soul inside him now? Ruby and the others didn’t seem to have a firm grasp on how it worked either, but it seemed they were two distinct souls existing in one body, just like she and Torchwick.  
  
“I-is there something on my face?” Oscar’s voice pulled Weiss’ attention back to reality, and she realized she’d been staring at him while she tried to get her thoughts together.   
  
“Oh, yes! I mean, no! I mean… sorry.” She shook her head vigorously and rubbed her eyes, taking a deep breath as she looked around at the party that had been gathered. It looked like this was everyone who had been traveling together before she arrived. Weiss realized that one member of her team was missing, but she hesitated to ask what had become of her. Everyone was in good spirits, but there was a strange tension behind their eyes, too, and she didn’t want to bring up a subject that may unleash that negativity.

Instead, she settled on how she wanted to share what she’d been through.   
  
“So, since everyone’s here.” She took a deep breath, held it for a moment, and let it pass through her nose. “You might want to sit down. I… I have a lot to tell you.”

  
***

“Roman, there you are!” Weiss finally found her friend around the back of the building, leaning against the wall. He was staring off into the distance, his visible emerald eye clouded with thought, and his lips wearing the same defeated frown she kept catching on his face whenever he thought she wasn’t looking. Seeing him behaving this way was as distressing as ever, though the unexpected reunion with her friends had distracted her from it. “You vanished when I got pulled into the house, so I was worried.”  
  
“Oh? Back so soon? No need to rush on my account, y’know. I know you like these people, though damned if I could hazard a guess as to why.” He jerked his head, his expression melting to his default confident smirk as he turned toward her and gave an inquisitive nod. He seemed to naturally resort to this when it came to other people—hiding his true feelings behind a shell of affable detachment.   
  
“About that, I ended up telling them about us, and, well,” She said in her most saccharine voice, trying to put on her best reassuring smile… though the horror that was starting to mount in Roman’s gaze told her it probably wasn’t working. “Remember when you said you owed me one?”  
  
Roman was silent for a moment, and just stared at her. A long, terrible stare.  
  
“Oh no…” He said softly, his smile wavering. Weiss raised her palms defensively, straining to make her smile seem a bit more harmless.  
  
“No, no, I promise it’s nothing bad. It’s just- Please stay tangible for what’s about to happen. You’re going to want to let it phase through you, but it would mean a lot to me if you didn’t.”  
  
Another moment of silence. Another terrible stare.  
  
“…Oh no…” He shook his head, the glint in his eye seeming to express regret at everything he’d ever told her. Still, while he exhaled in disgust, he did eventually, hesitantly, nod his consent.  
  
“It’s the easiest way to show them, and… I apologize in advance Roman.” She clasped her hands together and bowed her head a bit, by way of contrition. Then she turned and cast her gaze backward. “Okay, he’s ready!”  
  
“He’s ready?” Ruby poked her head around the corner of the wall, Silver eyes glowing with playful malevolence. The tiny girl rounded toward them, carrying a burlap sack over her shoulder; Yang following along as the sisters closed the distance toward Weiss, who nodded her head.  
  
“He’s right here.” Weiss clasped her hand on Roman’s shoulder. Her voice wasn’t nearly as excited as Ruby’s, but Roman cut his gaze toward her all the same, his lips flattening into a judgmental line. Weiss looked away, only scarcely holding back a smile. She was enjoying this a little bit more than she was trying to let on.  
  
“What the hell are you planning!?” Roman was equal parts concerned and confused, but he didn’t even really have time to finish asking before Ruby let the bag slip down her arm, pulling the tie open as she flung the contents into the direction Weiss indicated. A thick cloud of flour danced through the air as it escaped the pouch, covering Torchwick and clinging to his body like a yellowish-white snowfall.   
  
“Whoa! He really is there.” Yang’s purple eye widened as she clicked her tongue thoughtfully, prosthetic arm coming to rest on her waist. “I can’t believe that worked.”  
  
Weiss couldn’t be completely sure, since she had always been able to see Torchwick, but it seemed the dusting had the intended effect of making Roman’s outline visible to others. It was such a simple, elegant solution that she lamented that she’d never thought of it herself.   
  
“I’m as surprised as you are! I only suggested it because you all shot down my first plan.” Ruby craned her neck to look up at the much taller man, tilting her head thoughtfully.  
  
“Well, we don’t have a vacuum cleaner on hand, sis. Even if we did, I don’t think we could have sucked him into it.” Yang retorted. If her goal were to seem like the more sensible of the two, it was undercut a bit by the way she moved in a slow circle around Torchwick, like a child examining a statue.  
  
“At least we could have known for sure… Oh, Weiss! _Can_ he fuse with machines? Oh! Oh! Have you tried combining him with Myrtenaster yet? Or charging him with dust? A ghost-enhanced weapon sounds…” Ruby’s voice trailed off into an incomprehensible mutter as she got lost in a train of thought that would only really have made sense to herself, anyway. She and Yang circled Torchwick a couple more times, poking him thoughtfully as they tried to decide how they felt about the confirmation of the story Weiss had told them.  
  
“I’m- I’m in hell.” Torchwick’s voice was a light falsetto as he pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. “That’s what this is, isn’t it? I died again, and now I’m in hell. Hell is just getting poked by Little Red for eternity… and people wonder why I’m an atheist.”  
  
“Thanks again, Roman. I really appreciate this.” Weiss mouthed quietly from behind her friends. He wasn’t very enthusiastic, but he was still playing along with her request. That really did mean a lot to her. He was trying his best to underplay it, but thanks to their tether, Weiss knew firsthand that his feelings toward Ruby were… somewhat negative.   
  
“Heh, well I’ll be damned,” Qrow had led the rest of the group around while Weiss was distracted, his voice full of bitter amusement as he looked in Roman’s direction. “You really are bein’ haunted, Ice Queen! Guess that flour blob over there is Torchwick, the asshole ghost?”  
  
“Laugh it up, Drinky Crow.” Torchwick took a long breath in through his nose and held it. Ren and Nora approached him while Qrow hung back thoughtfully. Oscar was the last of the group to arrive once again, the boy’s mannerisms more measured and calmer than when Weiss encountered him earlier.  
  
“What’re we doing? Ghost poking? I can get on board with that!” Nora joined Ruby and Yang in circling Torchwick as she spoke, less out of curiosity and more out of love of sheer, puckish chaos.   
  
“That was…all of our flour.” The ever-pragmatic Ren lamented as he eyed the powdered spirit with his sad pink eyes. By this point Torchwick was trembling visibly as he looked at the curious teenagers swarming around him.   
  
“Gettin’ damned close to my limit here, Weiss!” He declared, casting his partner a glance that conveyed a sentiment of ‘I blame you for this!’ She finally moved to break up the party that had begun to form around him, sending a few more mental apologies his way as she worked, though it wasn’t her voice that eventually helped to settle everyone down.  
  
“I see. His soul dwells inside you yet projects itself outward as a separate entity. A curious ability.” Oscar’s voice, but something was off. The cadence was more measured and formal than the timid boy who had introduced himself to Weiss just a few minutes earlier. Indeed, there was something familiar about him now.

“It really is you…” Weiss cast a cool blue eye over her shoulder at Oscar, who was standing in the background with his arms crossed, and staring at Roman with narrowed, thoughtful eyes. No one seemed to know the details very well, but… that really was Ozpin? Weiss found his presence reassuring, especially if he really was in the same position as her. Maybe he would be able to finally give them a clue about how to give Roman a body again.  
  
“I can borrow control of Oscar’s body for a limited time, with his permission.” Her former headmaster explained as he walked toward the group, fingertips moving up the bridge of his nose to adjust a pair of glasses that wasn’t there. “It’s a finite arrangement, and I have much I need to share with you all while I’m in command, but I wanted to take a little time to see this man with my own eyes. Some details of the tale you told left me feeling uneasy.” 

  
Ozpin parted the crowd and stood before Torchwick; his brow furrowed as he grunted. Weiss had told the group everything, exactly as she had with Winter before. Roman, his tower, her escape, the Fable, even her sense of things going wrong. No one was sure what to make of it all, but with so many legends coming to life all around them, everyone was more than willing to take her at her word.   
  
“Never thought I’d say this, given my love of the spotlight but… damn am I tired of being stared at.” Torchwick groaned, slumping his shoulders.  
  
“Oh, cease your complaints. I’m trying to be of assistance.” Ozpin retorted in a distracted tone. This elicited a double-take from the grumpy redhead, and a look of shock from Weiss.  
  
“You can hear him?” Weiss asked. Was it because they were both bound souls? Ozpin gave her an apathetic nod as he did a slow circle around Roman, Oscar’s eyes taking on an uncharacteristic sharpness as the headmaster within him began to study the crook.   
  
“I can see him, too. My senses are more honed than most. Now then, my time is short, so I will try to do this quickly.”  
  
He stared at Roman in silence for a few moments.  
  
“Interesting.” Ozpin-within-Oscar finally said. He closed his eyes and nodded slowly. “I am not able to project myself from Oscar’s body. To my knowledge, it should not be possible for a soul to do so. Perhaps it’s because of the Schnee family Semblance?”

He was muttering more to himself than to anyone, but the point stuck to Weiss, all the same. Roman had mentioned he connected to her Semblance to escape the tower, after all. She’d long pondered whether that connection was significant to his current form.

A bolt of inspiration struck Weiss, at that: if he were using her Semblance to project himself out of her body, could she do that for him, too? What would happen if she tried to summon him properly, in the same way she summoned one of her Grimm?

“Has he ever taken control of your body? In whole or in part?” Ozpin had cut his gaze back toward Weiss, stirring her from her thoughts.

“N-no. I don’t think he can do that.” Weiss tilted her head and looked up thoughtfully. Her answer caused Ozpin’s gaze to grow still more stern.

“He can. If he’s told you otherwise, he is either ignorant, or attempting to deceive you.” His voice was firm, and he once more adjusted his imaginary glasses.   
  
Weiss looked at Torchwick with a curious frown, but he seemed as confused by that statement as she was; when he saw her staring, he threw up his arms in an exaggerated shrug. Ozpin watched this exchange with an amused hum before he continued.  
  
“The details are different, but your union is probably the same as my own: two souls existing within one body. If my hunch is correct, he could force his way into control of your body, though doing so would be draining. More amicably, you should also be able to lend him control of it for a limited time, as Oscar has done for me now.”  
  
Weiss and Roman shared another confused look. They’d been together for almost a quarter of a year at this point, and it’d never occurred to either of them to even think about any of that. Respecting her space was one of the conditions of her agreeing to host him, after all, and unlike with Ozpin and Oscar, she could banish him from her body with a thought by simply cutting off his connection to her Semblance.  
  
“Oh, we had no idea.” She said. “He’s able to move and interact with the world on his own, so it never came up.”  
  
“Yes, yours is an arrangement I’ve never seen before. I’ll be able to speak more firmly once I’ve had the chance to observe for a while. For now, disregard my comment. I should have kept my musings silent.” Ozpin had extended his hand toward Roman now, the tips of his fingers glowing with his aura. Torchwick bristled at this, but for now left the ancient warlock to continue his little examination.  
  
“It’s a relief that something like this has happened before, at least. Is there a way to get his body back?” Weiss let Ozpin continue on in silence for another minute before continuing her questioning.  
  
“I’m uncertain. Normally, I would say it was impossible, but we live in a modern age now. Atlas has begun to perfect a means of attaching a soul to a machine, for instance. I don’t know if that technology can be applied to a soul like this, but it may be worth looking into.”  
  
Torchwick, who had been impatiently tolerating all the poking and prodding of the past hour, lit up at this. Weiss’ reaction was a bit more measured, though. Was Ozpin talking about Penny? He didn’t sound all that optimistic about it, but at least it was a lead. Neither Weiss nor Roman had ever really stopped to consider what would happen if it turned out there was no way to get his body back. What would happen to him?  
  
Ozpin spent another few minutes in contemplation, finally taking a deep breath and turning back to face Weiss.  
  
“I’ve seen enough for now. I’ll observe the two of you while we travel, and let you know as I learn more.” Ozpin sounded tired. He’d mentioned before that his time in control was limited, so perhaps the exertion was starting to take its toll on him? “All I’ll say for now is that I’m starting to understand why this ‘Fable’ of yours attacked him. He’s clearly connected to something immense. Immense and terrible.”  
  
“You mean his ego? Believe me, I know.” Weiss said, smiling lightly. She wasn’t sure why she felt compelled to joke. It was less that she wasn’t alarmed by what Ozpin was saying, and more that she’d already long since made her peace with the reality of her union with the thief.   
  
“You know you like havin’ me around, Weiss.” Responded Torchwick with a smirk. Ozpin groaned and shook his head, unamused by the display.  
  


“If you two will suspend your flirting for a moment. Time is of the essence.” He said in a curt voice. “For now, I advise you continue as you have been, but be aware of the danger of your situation. The human soul is a construct of dust, designed to occupy its vessel alone. When two souls are forced to share the same vessel, the membrane separating them starts to break down, and they begin the slow process of fusing together.”  
  
…Now that was a warning that hit Weiss to her core. Granted, part of her had been aware that was happening all along. Both of their memories played through her mind every time she slept, and when it happened, she gradually lost the ability to tell the difference between them. Still, having it confirmed was an unpleasant feeling.  
  
“When I reincarnate, I choose a soul that’s compatible with my own. This makes the merger simple and easy to predict: the old soul fuses into the new, passing on its memories and experiences while the new soul retains its sense of self.” Seeing the thoughtful look on Weiss’ face, Ozpin continued his explanation. “With two random souls, the outcome isn’t so easy to predict. In the best-case scenario, you two will fuse as Oscar and I will. Torchwick will fade away, and you will remain ‘Weiss,’ carrying his memories alongside your own. However, the most likely outcome is a complete fusion… your souls merging irreversibly into a being who is simultaneously both of you, and neither.”   
  
“’Best case’ my ass, you brat!” Torchwick declared with a frown, crossing his arms and looking away. Weiss gave him a concerned look. The two of them had never discussed this possibility, either, but it seemed he’d also noticed their souls might be merging.   
  
“You two are still early in the process. There’s no immediate danger of fusion, so for now just be aware of the possibility.” Ozpin gripped his head and gritted his teeth, his breath suddenly hitching. “Unfortunately, this subject will need to be postponed for now. I’m almost out of time.”  
  
Ozpin turned to face the gathered group, gesturing back toward the cabin.  
  
“Everyone, please listen to what I have to say.” His tone had changed, a regretful look in his dark eyes as they met the gaze of each of his comrades in turn. “Each of you has an important decision to make… about the role you will play in the battle to come.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> , I’m back, baby! I resumed work last night, and since I do most of my writing at work, that means I’m back to writing at a regular schedule! I’ll endeavor to reliably release chapters weekly, though it may slip to bi-weekly, depending on which chapter we’re on. The chapters in book 2 will, on average, be considerably longer than the chapters in book 1, and many will also include ‘bonus scenes’ that feature information necessary to the plot, but that doesn’t directly connect to the core 3 characters. I write about 1-2k words a day, so if a chapter is longer than 7000 words, it’ll take a comparable length of time to get it published. I’ll do my best, though!
> 
> Finally, I apologize for the delay on this one. This was a hard chapter to write because I had to walk the tight rope of displaying all the things that have changed in this AU, while also not wasting everyone’s time just repeating scenes and exposition from the series. As a result, I had to re-write several scenes multiple times, and while I’m still not completely satisfied, it’s finally at least presentable!
> 
> If I had one big regret about how I wrote this story… it’d be that I underestimated how hard it was to have events of the story play out alongside the main story of RWBY. If I had it to do over again, I’d probably contrive a way to make it take place in its own pocket timeline, like an anime filler arc… but I’m committed to the course now, so I beg your indulgence as I endeavor to fulfill my narrative ambitions!
> 
> Next week’s chapter is one I’m pretty hype for, because it involves some character beats I’ve wanted to write since I started this project. Likewise, while it’s still a little way in the future, we’re finally getting close to the first Neapolitan POV chapter, which is another thing I’ve been looking forward to for a while, so I got a lot of motivation to keep going, provided you folks keep doing your thing! I appreciate the reviews, the follows, and the favorites. I won’t hold the project hostage by demanding you provide me with them, but I will say that knowing people are reading goes a long way toward keeping the fire lit under me.
> 
> Take care until next week, everybody!


	3. The One Who Was Never Alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Weiss has her reunion,but what does Torchwick have? Another dream forces him to face emotions he's kept buried since the journey began.

**Roman Torchwick**

_Tap…tap…tap…_

The tip of Melodic Cudgel kissed the marble floor in time with every step Roman took. He was walking with purpose, marching down the hallway of the hotel with his bowler cocked downward and a determined glint in his mascara-lined eyes.  
  
He did, indeed, have a purpose for his travel: he was getting the hell away from these people!  
  
“So, Ernest’s squad is tucked away in the capitol. If we send the supplies they’re asking for, they can hold out until the operation, but the Atlesians have been cracking down. If our relief supplies are intercepted, we may lose everyone. Should I call him back, or…”  
  
Torchwick was being followed by a short faunus woman. The white horns at the crest of her mask poked up through the hood she wore, and they trembled in the breeze as she struggled to match his pace. She was wearing the typical mask of the White Fang, which covered half her face behind a layer of white plastic, and shielded her eyes behind black lenses, with only her face beneath her nose and the ends of her bobbed pink hair visible through the concealment of the mask/hood combo.  
  
He’d made sure to sigh heavily as she approached and avoided making eye contact as she talked to him, doing all he could to try to subtly convey that he didn’t want to hear the report, but she seemed hell-bent on trying to make him do his job, anyway.  
  
“Huh, neat! Hey, what did you say your name was, dear?” He finally reached the room he’d been assigned, so he stopped and turned to face his tagalong.  
  
“Oh, um” The small woman gave a surprised grunt as he turned. She only came up to the center of his chest, and she had to crane her neck to look him in the eye. “A-Abigail, sir. I’m Adjutant Abigail.”

“Adjutant Abigail? Awesome! Alliteration is always an amusing accomplishment.” Roman gave the faunus such a warm, reassuring smile that you’d almost think it was sincere. “Alas, though, I’m not really the ‘proper name’ kind of guy, so while I asked to be polite, I’m not actually gonna call you that. I think I’ll call you… ‘double-A!”

The faunus flattened her expression, trying to work out how she felt about that, but Torchwick continued before she could react.

“Anyway, double-A, let’s sideline the report for just a second. I’ve been curious about you for a while, now.” His voice was confident and friendly, full of still more of that 100% genuine interest and compassion he had for his teammate. “You seem pretty important around here! How long have you been with the ‘Fang, now?”

“I-important? No, not really, I’ve been stuck as an adjutant for a while.” Double-A shook a bit as she muttered this. Shifting awkwardly as she looked away for a moment. “Um, I’ve been with them for 10 years now, though. My dad died in a mine collapse when I was young, and my mom was forced to become a ‘personal assistant’ for the SDC executive who got him killed. I… grew up hating humans for all of that.”

“Tragic.” Torchwick shook his head, empathy heavy in his voice. “You have no idea how many tears I’ve wept into my pillow thinking about the plight of the faunus in this country. That’s kinda my point, though, double-A! You’ve been at this game for half your life. You know how to run things way better than some outsider human like me. I think you should be the one making these decisions.”  
  
“You…really think I can?” She cocked her head and frowned thoughtfully, trying to figure him out. “b-but they put you in charge, I should respect the leader’s decision.”

“That’s just because they don’t see what I see in you! So, we’re gonna show ‘em. From now until the operation, you make all the decisions, and I’ll sign off on ‘em. Then, after the mission is a big success, we reveal it was actually you the whole time! You finally get the acknowledgement you deserve, and you can stop bothering m—er, that is to say, and I get the warm fuzzy feelings that come from helping the faunus to overcome a bit of the injustice in the cold, cruel word.”

The adjutant paused, looking up into Torchwick’s sincere emerald eyes. 

“Do you really think I can?” She finally repeated, looking away awkwardly.   
  
“Hey, I’m the one taking all the risk here, just do your best! If the Witch gets mad about something, you can point her my way. She and I are, just, the _best_ of friends.”

“…No one has ever done something like this for me, before.”   
  
“Well, that’s the kind of man I am, double-A. I’m not lazy or unmotivated in the least. This is entirely a gesture of the faith I have in you. If you have any questions or concerns along the way, you can always contact me! By scroll, I mean. Er, text, by the by—not call. My scroll is always on!”  
  
“I-” The girl still hesitated, though now it seemed to be born more of self-doubt than of doubting his intentions. “I won’t let you down, Mr. Torchwick!” She snapped a salute and stood at attention for a moment, before finally turning to leave. It took all of Roman’s self-control to avoid sighing in relief at seeing her depart.

“Nothing you do can possibly betray the expectations I have in you! I’ll remain exactly as devoted to the White Fang cause as I am right now.” He reassured her as she began to walk away. He took a deep breath and shook his head. How the hell did he end up in this position?   
  
Roman pulled his hotel keycard from the inner pocket of his coat and swiped it through the key slot of his door, a pleasant click informing him it had been accepted. A deep exhaustion began to settle into him as he turned the knob and began to push the door open.  
  
“Um, Mr. Torchwick!” Double-A’s voice again! Roman stifled a groan, forcing a smile back onto his face as he turned to face her once more. It seemed she’d traveled halfway back down the hall before she realized she forgotten something.  
  
“What’s up?” He called out. It was a testament to his acting that none of his actual emotions had managed to bleed into his voice as his smile threatened to waver.   
  
“I-it means a lot that you believe in me, sir.” She said with a deep, formal bow, fidgeting a bit as she pulled herself back up. “Thank you!”

“…From the bottom of my heart, double-A. Now you stay safe on your way home.” The corners of his smile wavered a bit as he raised a hand in a polite wave, this time watching until she was good and gone before he finally turned and entered his room with a huff.   
  
The room was pretty spartan: just a bed, a couch, and a small display screen, but that was fine. More pressingly, he wasn’t alone.  
  
“Oh, hey Neo. Back already?” He called out to the unexpected visitor, long past the point he’d ever be alarmed by her magically appearing inside a locked room. Neo was laying on his bed, pillows propped up behind her to help angle her upper body forward. She’d taken off the white half-shirt she normally wore, leaving her in just the black corset underneath it, and Hush was resting against the side of the bed. When he acknowledged her, she gave a wide grin and waggled her fingers in his direction.  
  
“Well, your skills are pretty straightforward, so they know how to use you. Glad to hear you had fun.” He said with a chuckle. He pulled off his gloves, pressing them together and sticking them in the pocket of his coat, then reaching into the other pocket to turn off his scroll before slipping off his coat and letting it hang on the hook beside the doorway. “Now, if they could just get it through their heads that I’m a thief, and maybe let me do what I’m good at, too.”  
  
His mention of her fun elicited a silent, gleeful chuckle from the mute, though as he went on the laughter ended, and she arched her brow at him inquisitively. Torchwick responded with a tired smile.   
  
“I see you have not yet been informed.” He brought a palm to his chest, extending his other arm to the side in a gesture of presentation. “Well, let me tell ya, Neo: Per the Witch’s instructions, you’re standing in the presence of the acting leader of the White Fang!”  
  
He groaned and closed his eyes. With a forceful gesture, he pulled his hat from his head and hung it beside his coat before scowling at the wall thoughtfully.  
  
“…Because that’s what I should be doing, right? That’s a role that suits me!? All these damned ‘freedom fighters’ buzzin’ around me like insects now, with their strategy meetings and their supply reports; all of ‘em wanting to know what I want them to do. Guys? I’m a thug. This ain’t my element. You wanna organize a heist, you come see me, but I don’t know how to fight a gods-damned war.”  
  
Neo brought the crook of a finger to her chin and tilted her head, concerned lines creasing her forehead as she pushed her brows together. Roman tried his best to offer her a weak smile, but his shoulders slumped as he loosened the top buttons of his shirt. With a heavy sigh, he trudged over to the couch and threw himself against it.  
  
“That’s not where the weird news ends, though. Did you hear what they’re doing with all the dust they took from us?” He leaned back against the padding of the couch, watching as his tiny partner leapt from the bed and moved to sit beside him, blinking her mismatched eyes curiously.  
  
“Well, the scheme is longwinded and complex, but to put it in the most simple of terms,” He made a popping sound with his lips as he balled a hand into a fist and then extended his fingers in an imitation of an explosion, “it’s gonna go ‘boom’.”   
  
Neo gave him an empathetic frown, angling her head downward. This elicited the first genuine laugh Torchwick had felt compelled to give all week, and he obliged her silent request, pressing his bare palm against the top of her head and caressing her. Neo winked in appreciation as she leaned against the display of affection.  
  
“We spent months gathering all of that dust, risked our lives over and over again, and now it’s all gonna vanish in a literal flash. All of it! Is the Witch trying to burn Vale to the ground!?” Neo’s return went a long way toward calming Torchwick’s heart, but damn was this situation overwhelming. He gave her a last small smile before resting his head over the back of the couch and bringing his palm over his eyes.  
  
“I’m tired Neo. So damn tired that I feel like I’m suffocating. This mess keeps gettin’ bigger, and I’m trapped in the center of it.” Just thinking about it had Roman trembling. He pressed his fingertips into the sides of his face firmly enough to make the skin go white. “This crazy bitch is going to get us killed at this rate, but I have to go with it. I can’t get away; she has me by the balls and she knows it.”

Torchwick and Neo had been traveling together ever since their peaceful days had died so long ago. The lifestyle hadn’t been an ideal one. They were rejected by the world, constantly hungry, forced to fight and kill, but at least they’d always been free. They could honestly say that everything they did, they did for themselves and their dream. Now?

By sheer random chance, they’d caught the eye of some freakishly powerful force, and they’d been dancing at the end of someone else’ strings ever since. It was bad enough when it was just an affront to his pride, but as this… ‘attack’ on Vale began to draw near, Roman was beginning to genuinely fear that they weren’t going to survive this.

“Listen to me, if this stupid job gets scotched-- if things explode in our faces-- I want you to cut and run. You ain’t bound up like I am. You could hide from anyone.” He pressed his palm against his eyelids and took a deep breath. He trusted Neo in single combat against damned-near anyone, but this wasn’t a street brawl or a security detail. He knew her very well, by now: if shit got real, she would absolutely put his survival before her own. “So, I need you t-“  
  
Roman trailed off as a surge of pain suddenly ran through his arm. She’d punched his shoulder…hard. He shifted his hand to allow a single emerald eye to peer in her direction, finding that the petite woman had crossed her arms, leaning back as she flattened her lips into an unamused line. He wasn’t surprised to see that she didn’t like what he was saying, and he wasn’t so arrogant as to assume that telling her to stop would actually make her change, but…

“It’s not fair to say this ain’t like me when-“ He was cut off again, the mute raising a hand and pressing the pad of her fingertip against his lips. She shook her head sternly and narrowed her eyes as her gaze met his.

 _This isn’t like you…_  
  
He knew that, dammit! His confidence had never wavered before. It was the cornerstone of his being! No matter how bad things got, if they were together, he knew they could succeed. How could she not see how different things were, now? Roman Torchwick may have been one of the greatest humans to ever live, but he was still only a human. How the hell was he supposed to survive all these fairy tales coming to life around him? Grimm, Maidens, and whatever ominous darkness the Witch had supporting her from the shadows—Roman was just a pawn, desperately sprinting for the other end of the board in hopes he might become a queen.   
  


…and if he slipped up even a little bit, then Neo would…

Seeing that he’d gone quiet, Neo shook her head and silently sighed. She straddled him, keeping herself elevated on her knees as she cupped his cheeks in her palms, forcing him to look up as she gazed down at him. Once more she shook her head, slowly this time, and he could see the surface of her eyes flickering with tears for just a moment before her gaze hardened. 

_What’s our motto? Say it._

Roman felt a tense pressure build in his stomach as he looked up at her, but he gave her a solemn nod. She was right. They couldn’t escape, and it may feel hopeless, but dammit! They were going to keep struggling until the bitter end.   
  
“We’re gonna survive. Together. No matter what we gotta do, and no matter who we gotta do it to. We’ll live long enough to drag all these bastards down.” His voice faltered a bit, but he tried to force himself to believe the words.   
  
Neo nodded once, her expression warming as she stroked his face. Then she threw her arms around his neck, falling into his lap as she embraced him so that her cheek pressed against his. Roman chuckled in resignation and returned the gesture, his arms closing around her slender body.

_It doesn’t matter what you say. I’ll protect you until the very end._

Why did she have to be so stubborn? He couldn’t resist smiling all the same. It wasn’t as though he hated that about her. If she hadn’t been this determined, she probably wouldn’t have survived long enough to find her way into his life in the first place.

“Fine, fine. Guess I’ll have to keep you safe myself, then.” Torchwick said quietly, his hand coming to rest at the back of her head and his fingers slipping through her hair. Neo pulled back a bit, far enough for their eyes to meet again, before flashing him a playful wink. She smiled broadly, clearly pleased with the concession, and leaned in again, this time pressing her lips to his.   
  
***

Roman was trembling as he ‘woke up’ once again. His hands were shaking violently as he held them out and cast his gaze down upon them, a horrified frown spreading across his face as he watched his palms seem to blink out of existence for a moment before reappearing. It happened again. It hadn’t even been a day since the last time.

What was happening to him!?  
  
He looked around the room. The party had divided themselves up for the evening, with boys and girls setting up their bedding in separate rooms. Night had long since settled in, and the light of the full moon outside was the only illumination available, but it was enough to see Weiss slumbering peacefully on her pallet. Yang was set up along the far wall, as well Nora, who was snoring loudly, although Ruby’s place was conspicuously empty.   
  
Ozpin hadn’t lied about the important things he had to say, and the revelations seemed to have sparked a thousand conflicts within the children under his care. Discussions about whether the old man was trustworthy, worries about their missing Kitty Cat, angst over a missing limb or two… Roman wound up observing a side of his old enemies he’d rather have never heard about. Still, it did serve to make them forget about him for a moment, and after the hour he spent in pokey-pokey hell, that was more than enough tradeoff for him to tolerate a little teenage drama.   
  
‘Teenage drama’, he thought with a laugh, like he was in any position to judge. His dream played out in his mind again, and he looked down at his body, closing his arms in front of himself as if to embrace an invisible person.  
  
Even now, he could still remember the way her body fit against his…  
  
He grimaced and shook his head roughly, looking over at Weiss’ slumbering form. He wouldn’t be able to go far with her asleep, but he needed a walk. Dizziness had settled into him since the dream had ended, and his limbs felt heavy and sluggish.   
  
“Why are you doing this to me?” He found himself whispering to no one as he walked through the door and out into the hall, looking down at his gloved hands as if he were terrified they might start to vanish again. “Why now?”  
  
Honestly, ever since he woke up in the tower that day, he’d been running on pure inertia: he was so used to struggling against the world and focusing on himself and his survival that he could do it by pure muscle memory. He buried every emotion that lingered from the night Neo died. His frustration, his humiliation, his despair, all of it was dammed away safely inside the core of his heart, and he could keep it locked there as long as he didn’t let himself think about what he’d lost. 

It was a simple, elegant solution! It had worked for months… but now he was beginning to dream, and those dreams served no purpose greater than to remind him of what he had been trying to forget. 

Torchwick could feel that he was reaching the limits of his tether, but still pushed his way through the rear wall of the cabin and out onto the porch area at the back of the property. He was desperate for some fresh air, and indeed, the chill of the cold night outside seemed to seep into his ghostly body and help him escape his own thoughts for a moment. However, the succor this provided was undercut by the recognition of a familiar face.   
  
Ruby Rose was seated at the end of the wooden platform, her legs dangling over the edge and her silver eyes fixated on the stars above. That scythe of hers had been laid out on a blanket beside her, with a row of tools arranged in order of size beside it. Weapon maintenance? Little Red did seem like the type of girl who would tinker with her gear if she wanted to clear her head, though the task laid forgotten for now as she just stared into space thoughtfully.   
  
Torchwick looked at the girl, his gaze narrowed but emotionless. This was all her fault! If he hadn’t seen her again today, if he could have just kept imagining what it would be like when their paths crossed again, he wouldn’t have had to realize how empty he’d become. That night above Vale had been playing on a constant loop in the back of his mind. It was the one memory of Neo he’d allowed himself, and the reason for that was simple: with Neo gone, the only motivation he could find to keep struggling was revenge.  
  
Little Red killed Neo. She was still out there, alive and happy, while his partner was gone forever. It was _infuriating_ , wasn’t it? He hated her! He could never forgive her! If he saw her again, it would take all the self -control at his command to avoid strangling her in a fit of rage!

…but he had seen her again, and there was no rage. He was empty inside. Roman had always been a survivor; he’d always been a man who lived honestly with his desires. Now here he was reunited with his hated enemy, gaining answers about the nature of his connection to Weiss, even getting a small lead as to how to get his body back. He should feel more driven than ever before! A thousand and one schemes should be running through his brain—plans for how he was going to take his revenge and reclaim everything he’d lost!  
  
Instead, he watched from the background as Weiss was reunited with her loved ones, watched her embrace the girl who had murdered his only friend, and he felt _nothing._ Just the expanding void that had finally escaped from the depths of his soul.   
  
Torchwick shook his head. Seemed he wasn’t going to escape this strange feeling no matter what he did. No wonder it felt like he was starting to fade away. He gave Ruby a final look as he turned to go back through the wall, pausing in surprise as a creaking sound greeted the weight of his foot touching the floorboard.   
  
Ruby blinked in shock and jerked her head toward the noise, eyes scanning the area to try to discern its source. Torchwick met her gaze and froze, having forgotten for a moment that she couldn’t see him, and only resumed his intended escape when she finally shrugged and looked away.  
  
“…That you, Torchwick?” This time, it was the sound of Ruby’s voice that froze him in place, a frown spreading across his face as he looked back over at her. She was no longer looking in his direction, but it seemed she was able to guess the source of the mysterious noise. “Hey, uh… you wanna talk for a minute?”  
  
Roman grunted. He could never hear Little Red’s voice again for the rest of the lifespan of the universe, and it’d still not be long enough. Despite himself, though, he brought a palm to his chest and rested it against his heart. At the very least, she could provide him with the chance to cut through this hollow numbness he was trapped in.   
  
With a sigh, he turned back around and moved to stand beside his old enemy, putting extra weight into his steps so that she could hear his boots hitting the ground with each step. She offered him a weak smile in response.  
  
“Thanks. It’s been a heavy day for all of us, so I never got the chance to really try to talk to you. I know I’m not your favorite person.” Her usually chipper voice was a bit somber now, carrying the weight of the emotions she’d been forced to confront when Ozpin laid out his ultimatum.   
  
“Don’t be so hard on yourself, Red.” Torchwick replied in his usual cocky affect, not bothered by the fact that she couldn’t hear him. “I don’t hate your rotten guts.”  
  
The moon was full, and the night sky was crowded with a sea of stars, the silvery glow bathing the forest around them so brightly that the night seemed almost like a dream of the day. Torchwick looked out at the scenery as his arms began to draw tight around his sides.  
  
“If I’m being honest, when Weiss told me about you, I was kind of relieved.” Ruby confessed, her eyes catching the moonlight as she raised her face again, pulling her knees up to her chest and hugging them. “You fought us so many times, but I don’t know. Part of me just never stopped hoping that we could understand each other. I’m sure you think that’s naïve, though.”  
  


He thought back to that night yet again. Yeah… right up to the bitter end, even as he was literally attempting to beat her to death, Little Red never did stop trying to talk him down. At the time, he was mostly just annoyed that she thought he was there because he wanted to be, but his time with Weiss had forced him to realize these kids really were just that genuinely, stupidly empathetic.

  
Torchwick looked away from her. She was damned right she was being naïve. She and the Ice Queen both had that problem: ever trying to reach out to people who hurt them. The thought of it brewed a frustration that almost managed to reach him through his haze of depressed emptiness, and his thoughts fell back to how weirdly protective he’d begun to feel toward Weiss. You don’t have to be the bigger person every time, you big-hearted idiot! Protect yourself a little bit!  
  
“I think I was right about you, though, Torchwick. Weiss told me about your friend… I don’t think anyone who can care that much about someone else is completely evil.” She continued, her voice growing softer. “I’m sorry things happened the way they did. I really am.”

_You’re sorry you killed her; you mean._

For just a moment, that familiar loathing returned to him, a pure and righteous fury so strong that, if Ruby had spoken Neo’s name, he may well have lost control and attacked her. As quickly as his fury came it melted away, though…sucked back inside the nihilistic void. It didn’t matter. Whether Red was sorry, whether he killed her for revenge, Neo was still gone. Neo was gone, and he didn’t know what he was even doing, anymore.   
  
“Oh, uh… I know that doesn’t fix anything. I know you can’t forgive me, but I’m sorry, all the same.” Ruby’s voice had recovered a bit of its usual playfulness as she pulled herself up onto her knees and began to gather the equipment she’d set out. Turning her back on an enemy she’d wronged. An exhale hissed from Roman’s nostrils as he shook his head. Even without her explaining herself, he knew exactly why she was so unguarded around him.

‘Weiss trusts you, so I trust you. I know you’re not going to hurt me.’ 

These brats really were too naïve for their own good…

“I owe you a lot. I could never thank you enough for what you did, but I’m gonna try anyway.” When all her gear was packed up, and Crescent Rose had been folded and slung behind her back, Ruby stood. She stared up at the moon one final time with a warm smile on her lips. “Thank you for being there for Weiss when she was all alone. She’s got a grumpy exterior, but deep down, I think she’s afraid of loneliness more than anything. You helped her stay strong while the rest of us couldn’t, and I’ll never forget that. That’s all I wanted to say. Goodnight, Torchwick.”  
  
Torchwick watched her leave with a neutral expression on his face, in part surprised and in part disquieted. He could have lived without Little Red’s gratitude, but her words stirred his thoughts.   
  
“Weiss, huh?” He muttered, looking down at his body once he’d finally been left alone. Roman had been treating his situation as though he were completely alone, but Weiss was still there, wasn’t she? He didn’t want to expand his debt to his former-enemy-turned-partner, but at the same time, part of him was hopeful, as well. 

_I think she’s afraid of loneliness more than anything._

Roman shrugged his shoulders, stretching until his back popped before finally heading back toward the bedroom. Maybe Weiss would understand, after all. What did he have to lose?

***

Roman looked back and gave Weiss an appreciative nod before continuing to lead her down the path. While the Ice Queen was busy with her reunion yesterday, he’d investigated the area around the cabin as best he could (given his limited range of motion) and noticed a small lake obscured by the trees behind the property. That seemed like as good a place as any to accomplish this silly thing he was suddenly determined to do. 

Honestly, the thought of doing this still made him uncomfortable, but it felt like this was the last opportunity he’d have to be alone with Weiss, so he didn’t have the time to talk himself out of it. The little band of junior huntsmen were all still as angst-filled as they’d been last night, though they were doing a better job of hiding it this morning, and all of them were eager to finally hit the road for Haven. Roman knew that once they were traveling, the business with Ozpin and reconnecting with her friends would start to take priority for Weiss, so he’d asked her to come with him before they left, while there was still a little time remaining in their two-man journey. 

“You’ve been weird lately, Roman. Is everything okay?” Weiss’ voice echoed behind him. He chuckled in response, raising a finger to the air.  
  
“I _have_ been weird lately, huh? That’s what all of this is about. I concede that I ain’t in any sort of position to be asking you for another favor, but if you don’t mind opening a line of credit for me, I gotta be greedy for a few minutes.” He tried his best to imitate the cadence he favored when fully committed to the role of “Roman Torchwick”, but so much of his fire had been extinguished by the black rain of negativity inside him that even he thought his voice sounded hollow as he spoke.  
  
Torchwick led her down the hillside, to the very edge of the lake, and sat cross-legged in the grass, looking down at the water’s surface with a wistful smile. When he’d finally steeled himself, he took a deep breath, let it out, and sighed.   
  
“Weiss, would you mind listening to my confession?”

Weiss was standing behind him, and he could see her reflection in the water as she reached for the length of the ponytail beside her face and ran her fingertips through her hair, her blue eyes clouded with thought.   
  
“…Sure, Roman. If you want.” Confusion and concern were both heavy in her voice as she acquiesced, eliciting a small, earnest smile from the deceased crook.

“Thanks. Honestly, the thought of sharing any of this kinda repulses me, but I’ve fallen into a dark place. I get the feeling that if I don’t get some of this off my chest soon, I may explode. Wouldn’t want to go and make a mess inside your head, y’know?” He offered her a hollow laugh and patted the grass beside himself. “So, yeah. Thanks. I’ll add this to the pile of things I owe you.”

“Oh, cut it out with the ‘quid pro quo’ crap, Roman! I’m not your accomplice, I’m your friend. This kind of thing is what friends do for each other.” Seemed she was trying to imitate her usual self, too, though like Roman, her voice was a lot softer than she probably wanted it to be. She grunted indignantly as she moved to sit down beside him; the two of them sitting in silence and looking at their reflection for a moment.

“Friends, right.” He said. Words that may have sounded flippant had the smile on his lips not spread wider at the thought. “Well, I ain’t really one to do things just because I’m told, Weiss, so I’m gonna owe you for this, and you’re gonna like it.”

“You’re so hard-headed.” Weiss sighed, leaning her elbows against her knees. Like she was one to talk! He may have teased her for a bit, if today had been like any other day.

“So, Little Red is doin’ okay, I see.” Instead, he took a final deep breath, and began to attempt to untangle the knot of nihilism that had ensnared him. “Still the same spastic, bubbly fountain of stomach-turning optimism and nobility.”

He could hear Weiss’ breath catch in her throat at his words, but her expression remained even as she looked down at the water. 

“Yes. She’s the same Ruby she’s ever been. She can be sloppy and unfocused, but she’s upbeat, determined, and always thinking of others first.” Weiss’ tone was fawning as she spoke… more so than the tsundere girl would usually allow herself. Torchwick figured she was probably still high on her reunion. “…She’s a good person, Roman. One of the best I’ve ever known.”  
  
“Oh, I know. Believe me, Weiss, I know very well.” He shook his head and gave a single, resigned laugh. “I know why everyone else in the world would feel that way about her, and that’s why I can’t accept it. Little Red is a model huntress. The huntsmen exist to protect humanity from the Grimm. So then, what does it mean that Red killed Neo? Was Neo something less than human? Why did Red get to live on while Neo had to die?”

The numbness he’d been feeling since yesterday was starting to erode as he spoke, tinging his words with the slightest hint of sadness and anger despite his quiet, even tone. Weiss waited until she was certain he was finished to speak.

“I can promise you that Ruby didn’t want to kill her. She would never want to kill anyone. The two of you were trying to kill her too, weren’t you? You don’t have the right to blame her for defending herself.” Weiss was sympathetic, but also firm, making it clear that she felt Torchwick was in the wrong for blaming her friend. That was fine, though. He didn’t need anyone’s help to know how unfair he was being.

“’Don’t have the right’? Yeah, probably so.” Roman conceded evenly, turning to settle his eyes upon Weiss for a second before returning his gaze forward. “No reasonable person in all the world could hear the story of what happened up there and fault Red for what she did. She was a huntress—a hero—fighting against a pair of murderous criminals who were helping to destroy an entire city. A hero killed a monster. Who could complain about that?”

The muscles in Weiss’ face relaxed and tensed a couple times as she seemed to ponder what to say. Roman gave her a brief, meaningful look, and shook his head.

“You know how old I was when I killed for the first time, Weiss? I was 14. There was a river than ran through the fields behind my hometown, and the gal was sitting there, just like I am now. She wasn’t trying to defend herself; she didn’t even have her aura up. Just sat there mumbling to herself.

“I stabbed her in the back of the neck—right below the base of her head. When I close my eyes, I can still remember the feeling of her blood pouring over my hands.” He held his palms out in front of himself in demonstration. “It was so hot I thought it was burning my skin, and I just stared as the bright red of it spread across my fingers. She knew I was there, but she didn’t resist… didn’t say anything. She just looked back at me, gave me this crazed, incomprehensible look, and fell into the water.”

“Why did you kill her?” Weiss asked quietly. She scratched her cheek as she screwed up her lips, trying to make sense of what Roman was telling her, and why he was doing so.

“Because I couldn’t forgive her, I suppose. I was dealin’ with a lot of emotions I didn’t want to face, and she was the cause of it all, so I let myself get carried away hating her… I guess some things never change.” Roman’s gaze was mellow and deep as he looked over at Weiss. “All the feelings I’d been holding back hit me after she was gone, though. I started sobbing like a gods-damned baby, and my limbs started shaking so bad I couldn’t even walk away… so I just fell onto my knees and puked my guts out.

“Y’know, it’s funny, Weiss. I could sit here and tell you everything about that morning if I wanted to. The taste of the air, the feel of the mist on my skin, the smell of her blood… everything about that first act of murder has been seared into my brain like a brand, but I couldn’t tell you a damned thing about the second person I killed. Or the third. Or the fourth.”

Weiss’ frown grew more pronounced as he spoke, and her voice conveyed equal parts pity and concern as she went to reply but could only barely say his name. He gave her a gentle nod. She’d started to feel like she knew him pretty well because of the memories shared by their link, but it sounded like most of the memories she’d seen had come from his childhood. There was a universe of difference between the 12-year-old boy named Leon and the 15-year-old man named Roman.

“My point is: I’ve killed a lot of people. More than I can keep track of. Most of ‘em weren’t the kinds of people the rest of the world would call ‘innocent’, but quite a few were—especially after the Witch sank her claws into me. I never set out with the intent of killing, but it never bothered me if it had to be done, either. From that day by the river, right on up to that night above Beacon, I was a monster. Neo and I were monsters together.”  
  
By now, the numbness was truly starting to unravel within him, and the pain it had been concealing was overwhelming. When Neo’s name passed his lips, his voice cracked, and he had to cough to clear a forming lump in his throat. 

“Neo went through a lot before she adopted me. She didn’t have a voice, she didn’t have a name, she was small and powerless in a world that ground her down until she’d almost wasted away. That experience changes a person, and she, well,” an exhale hissed through his teeth and he clenched one of his hands into a fist, “even by the time I found her that day, she was never going to be able to fit in with ‘normal’ people. She felt compelled to hurt things, back then. Animals, people, herself… My ever-wholesome parents helped how they could, but even then—by the time of the Fall, her body count was way higher than mine.”

Roman meshed his fingers together, resting his hands behind his head as he let himself fall back on the grass and stare up at the sky. 

“The world wasn’t wrong. Neo was murderous. She was sadistic. She was stubborn, too.” His tone shifted suddenly, sounding almost contented as he let out a long, heavy sigh. “Even after I would point out she was wrong about something, she’d just double down, as if she could hard-head her way right through reality. She was crafty, but such a terrible liar, because she always got so pleased with herself that I could spot when she was fibbing by watching the corners of her mouth to see if she were trying not to smile. To say nothing of nosey! No matter how hard I’d try to hide all my feelings behind a wall and forget about ‘em, she’d track me down and force me to talk about ‘em…”

Roman paused; it was getting so hard to breathe all of a sudden-- well, he never ‘needed’ to breathe, but that didn’t change the fact he could usually do so without difficulty. His eyes felt heavy, and the pit in his stomach had only begun to swell larger. He’d hoped that maybe trying to talk out his feelings would get rid of that black hole within him that had swallowed up his emotions, and that he might at least be able to feel something again. It was working, but the emotions he’d managed to untangle from that dark mass seemed so arbitrary and strong: anger, sorrow, and some third emotion he couldn’t quite identify, all kept firing off in turn within his brain.

“It just…pisses me off. Is the bond between monsters worth less than the bonds between people?” He declared, his voice almost a growl as he pulled himself back into a sitting position, digging his fingertips into the marshy grass on either side of him. “It was the world that twisted her up that way in the first place! What right do you people have to judge her for it now? Do you have any idea how much she suffered because of the way she was!?”

He’d begun to speak more and more rapidly, his voice quiet but fierce, as if to shout without shouting. Weiss was surprised by the shift in emotion, but she neither flinched nor protested, the soft blue of her gaze simply watching as he spoke.

“So yeah, I don’t care if I’m being unreasonable! I don’t care how rational or justifiable it was. I hate Little Red for what she did! I hate her, I hate you, I hate every last gods-damned person on this disgusting planet! Do you have any idea what you’ve done!? How in the hell am I supposed to-?”

Roman’s breath caught in his chest for a moment before coming out as a long, distraught sob, and his vision blurred as a hot stream of tears began to stain his cheeks. He’d stumbled upon a thought he had never allowed himself to think. A sentiment which had formed the center of the vortex of despair that had swallowed him. 

“I-it was… my fault, Weiss.” Roman’s voice had lost almost all its power now. It was scarcely a whisper that slipped out between the sobs that now accompanied each attempt he made to exhale. He hung his head, trying to focus his eyes through the tears obscuring them. “I… in all my life, I’d only ever had one companion… and I killed her.” 

Roman wailed: a long, agonized cry that accompanied the trembling of his shoulders as he drew his arms around his stomach and began to openly weep. Even now, Weiss was quiet, though as his tears had finally begun to flow, her own eyes had darkened, and she’d nodded her head with a thoughtful frown. Did she expect things to turn out this way? Were Torchwick’s defenses still in place, he’d have been infuriated by that thought—interpreting it as Weiss offering him condescending pity—but he was well beyond the point of acting out based on misplaced pride, right now.

Instead, as he saw her move closer, and felt her arms wrap tight around his shoulders, he accepted the embrace and leaned against her. His trembling, sobbing form rested against her as ghostly tears soaked the fabric of her blouse.

“I’m so sorry Neo… I fucked up.” Torchwick’s voice was a low, broken croak now, muffled as it was by Weiss’ body as she rocked him gently. “I fucked up so bad.”  
  
Words were swiftly failing him by now, so he stopped trying to speak. His arms somehow finding their way around Weiss’ back as he tried to bring his breathing under control, only to discover that he couldn’t stop crying. 

_“All your talk about how I’m better off alone, when it turns out you were never alone from the start. Pretending to understand the world when you don’t even understand yourself. You’re such a dolt.”_

Roman hadn’t given Weiss’ words much thought back then. After all, that night on the mountain had seen her saying quite a few things he found hard to ignore, but that observation stuck out to him now. He _had_ never been alone. He had never been in a position where his criminal persona remained constantly intact; he’d never been without a confidant he could trust implicitly. Keeping his feelings bottled up for months, without so much as permitting himself to sit down and directly address them… it was little wonder he’d ended up reduced to this state.

For now, such self-criticism was beyond him, though. They sat in that position for a long time afterward, in silence, save for the sound of Roman’s broken, aggrieved crying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not a lot to add this week, since things are more or less back to normal! This week’s chapter is, perhaps, the most emotionally ambitious chapter of anything I’ve ever tried to write before, so I look forward to seeing whether I had the talent to pull it off!


	4. A Thief's Talent

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang have their destination, and they have the means to get there. A moment of peace seems to finally find them, but even before the proper battle begins, their enemies come calling.

**Weiss Schnee**

The Ursa Grimm rounded the street corner with a violent roar, red eyes glowing with a malevolent frustration as it began to charge along the pavement. It had only made it a few feet before reaching Ruby, who flashed a determine scowl as she leaped forward to meet the creature. With a flash of Crescent Rose, the Ursa’s right claw was severed cleanly and sent flying into the wall of a nearby storefront, eliciting a cry of confusion and pain from the beast. It brought down its remaining forepaw with great enough force to smash the concrete beneath it as the claws drove into the ground, but Ruby had burst away as suddenly as she’d appeared, and the Grimm’s assault struck nothing but air.

Weiss was the one who stepped in after that, creating a series of glyphs that gradually elevated themselves up into the air, and then hopping across them like platforms to bring herself to eye-level with the Grimm, thrusting Myrtenaster into a slit in the beast’s armor and pushing the blade deep inside its head. 

She smirked in satisfaction as she saw the attack slay the Grimm, its bright red eyes fading into darkness as its body began to evaporate. Weiss had come to acquire some powerful summons lately, and the Schnee family had long relied on such power in combat, but when she arrived at Mistral, Weiss decided she wanted to try to fight with her own combat prowess. She would still use her summons, of course, but when possible, she wanted to try to fight without them.   
  
“Three of ‘em left, coming out by the warehouses!” Torchwick’s shout came down from the top of the building beside her, his gaze firmly pointed into the distance. “Might wanna have Einherjar and Streak come around the back.”   
  
She gave her partner a nod as he looked down to confirm she’d heard him, then turned to Ruby.  
  
“They’re by the warehouse-- let Nora and Ren know!” She said to her friend. Ruby detached a radio from her hip and conveyed the information to the other team they’d set up. The three of them began to round the corner to the warehouse district, but before they’d even gotten close enough to confirm the Grimm for themselves they could hear the sound of Storm Flower firing rapidly, followed by the crashing ‘thud’ of a hammer striking down.  
  
By the time they rejoined the second group, Nora and Ren were standing triumphant with Jaune in the background, nothing left to imply there was ever any danger at all save for the evaporating black mist of a disintegrating Grimm.  
  
Weiss pumped her fist and let out a satisfied grunt, then realized how unseemly the gesture was, and cleared her throat awkwardly, folding her arms behind her back as a blush colored her cheeks.   
  
“Can’t take it back now, Weiss, we already saw!” Nora flashed a peace sign as she leapt forward and drew an arm around the Ice Queen’s shoulders, drawing her into a sideways hug with a goofy grin. “No need to hold back the hype—mission accomplished, baby!”

Weiss gave the energetic girl a weak nod in reply, her blush not really fading after being called out like that.

She could feel adrenaline coursing through her… an intense feeling of satisfaction married to a wistful nostalgia as the reality of what had just happened began to sink into her brain. This was the first time she’d gotten to slay Grimm with her team since the Fall! Despite her best efforts, a wide, warm smile had snuck back onto her face as she looked over her group of friends, earning her a teasing smirk from Ruby as their eyes met—which in turn only served to further darken the redness of her cheeks. 

Even after a week it felt so surreal. She was finally home again! If only Blake was here, it would be perfect, but even as it was, Weiss felt lighter than she had in months.

The group reconvened and headed back to the pier, applause and cheers erupting from the windows and doorways of the buildings they passed along their way. The Grimm had appeared so suddenly that a proper evacuation was impossible, so most of the citizens had to close themselves up in their homes and hope for the best.

“A spectacular display of skill and bravery! Our apologies for imposing upon our guests in such an unseemly manner.” A kind, elderly male voice greeted them as they finally returned to their destination. The outdoor pier was an enormous stone platform, about 150 square yards of cobbled gray that jutted out into the ocean, with only a wooden fence lining the perimeter to prevent the people who bustled bout from pushing one another into the water.

Moored to the pier was the vehicle their party had come all this way to use: an air and sea ferry designed to carry cargo and passengers from Argus to the peak of Mistral City. The airship was three times as long as the pier it was attached to, and towered above the waterline, nearly as tall as it was long.

“Still, we were fortunate to have you on-hand. We’re no strangers to Grimm from the mountains or swamplands wandering up to our city limits, but this is something I’ve never seen before. To have a hive of them suddenly spring to life in the very heart of the city like this, it feels like a terrible omen.” The old voice continued. It belonged to the owner of the ferry: a thin, bald man wearing a green and white kimono. He frowned as he spoke, an action that added still more lines to his wrinkled face, and he absently drew his fingertip through his short, gray beard.

He stood in front of the boarding ramp, a half dozen security guards standing at attention on either side of him as Ruby approached, nodding her head with a thoughtful frown.

“We took out ten, in total. Near as we can tell, they came from the warehouse district.” Ruby was trying to sound formal and professional as she gave her report, but it was clear by how she struggled to stand at attention that it wasn’t how she usually spoke. The news did little to ease the old man’s frown, though he offered an appreciative nod to the two Huntsman teams as they gathered around him.

“The warehouse district? Did someone transport them in crates or something? Maybe they broke out of storage and ran amok?” One of the security officers rose his voice from behind the owner. He was a brawny young man, with an effeminate face and short brown hair contained neatly within the brim of his ballcap. The suggestion invited a dismissive grunt from the officer beside him, who crossed her arms in a huff.

“Have you ever known a Grimm so well-behaved as to sit patiently and wait to be boxed? Clearly the creatures snuck into the city of their own accord.” This one was female, with dark brown skin, red eyes, and curly black hair that was bound into a ponytail behind her back. She was also incredibly tiny, even compared to Weiss. All the security officers wore the same outfit—A blue jumpsuit with matching work gloves, black boots, and a black ballcap with ‘SECURITY’ stitched in gold into the front—but hers fit poorly, with the cuffs of the sleeves covering the heels of her hands, and the cap hanging at a loose angle atop her head.

“The Grimm… snuck into the city?” The owner considered the words with a heavy sigh before shaking his head. “Well, it’s as good a guess as any, until we have more evidence. You lot do a once-over on the cargo in the ship; for the love of the gods keep an ear out for any scratching or snarling. If I have even half a reason to believe there’s something amiss, we’re staying grounded. I don’t care if the passengers are cranky, so long as they’re safe.”

Each of the guards snapped a synchronized salute as they began to disperse, lining up to travel up the boarding ramp into the airship. The female guard who’d spoken earlier brought up the rear of the line, pausing before she followed the others up, and instead turning to look directly at Weiss. The gaze of her dark red eyes narrowed in judgement as she scowled at the young huntress.

“Can…I help you?” Weiss jerked back reflexively at the intensity of the stranger’s glare, looking down at herself as if to try to figure out what she’d done to earn such disdain. The diminutive guard responded to the question with a condescending snort.

“I was merely thinking that you rather look like a snob. Nothing more.” Her scowl transformed into a smug grin as she cocked her head, looking up at Weiss mischievously.

“Y-What!?” The confusion from a moment earlier was gone now, replaced instead with an annoyed fury. Weiss brought her fists to her hips, leaning down to get a better look at the woman. What did she ever do to her? Way to leave a good first impression, weirdo! “Just what makes you say that?”

The female guard began to chuckle at Weiss’ reaction, flashing a row of sharp, pointed teeth as her grin drew wider. It faded in an instant at the sound of an annoyed throat-clearing, though, as the ferry’s owner saw fit to remind her that he was still standing there.

“Kindly refrain from passing judgement on our passengers, Deputy Leanan.” He said firmly, shaking his head. Leanan’s once-smug expression turned sheepish at the scolding, though the slightest trace of her smirk remained at the corners of her lips as she looked Weiss’ group over one final time.

“It seems that perhaps my eyes deceived me. I apologize.” She said in an unnaturally formal tone, closing her eyes and bringing her arms to her sides as she bowed politely. “Thank you for choosing the Argus Ferry; you may leave all your security concerns to us.”

She caught Weiss’ eye a final time as she departed, giving the silver-haired girl a final nod as she turned to leave. Weiss, in turn, merely sighed in exhaustion, not remotely sure what she’d done to deserve being singled out.

“I apologize for her. I try to hire on local youth who seem down on their luck, but that group is… special.” The old man closed his gray eyes and massaged his eyelids with a tired groan. “Anyway, what was it we were discussing, before the Grimm were so rude as to interrupt us?”

Weiss and her friends had arrived in Argus one day ago. Once they’d made their decision to cooperate with Ozpin’s plans, Haven Academy became their firm destination instead of merely a vague idea of where to head. The academy housed an artifact Ozpin called a ‘relic’, which was not only a vital part of their hopes for defeating Salem, but at serious risk of being stolen by her faction at any time, so they had to try to make the trip as quickly as they could.

That was why Ozpin instructed them to come here. Normally, travel between the city of Argus and the capitol was done via train: the Argus Limited, but there was a slightly faster, significantly more expensive option: the Argus Ferry.

The ferry traveled weekly between the city of Argus, and the highest part of Mistral City, carrying the merchants and military personnel capable of affording its services straight to the top in comfort and style. Outsiders wouldn’t normally be able to show up out of the blue and hope to gain passage, but the owner of the ferry owed Ozpin a favor, and with the situation as dire as it was, the former headmaster was keen to call it in. Their request had been accepted, and they were in the process of boarding when the Grimm had attacked.

“Ah, yes, I remember… Old Ozpin.” The elderly man chuckled softly and stroked his beard. “I still can’t believe all of this has happened. It’s understandable that you can’t tell me everything, but it’s not like I can forget all I owe that crafty fox. I cleared your party to board, though you’ll have to settle for a middle-class cabin.”

“Oh, that’s more than enough. We really appreciate the help.” Ruby had assumed the role of group spokesperson, and she gave the man a grateful smile as he confirmed their request.

“Well, given how things have played out, it seems we were blessed by your arrival. None of our huntsmen were in position for an attack appearing out of thin air, after all!” The old man moved to a podium beside the boarding ramp and lifted a clipboard from it, perusing the text written upon it for a moment before clicking his tongue.

“Here we are! Cabin 24. I took the liberty of allowing the three who stayed behind to go ahead and board. It was the least we could do after they helped evacuate the entire pier. They have the key if you’d like to go on inside.” He nodded his head to the group a final time. “I’m returning to the office for now but let the management team know if you have any needs during your journey. You’re to be treated as my personal guests.”

Ah, right. Qrow, Oscar, and Yang hung back during the Grimm assault to help get civilians out of danger… Yang was less than thrilled by the role, but Ruby had been strangely insistent. It seemed the loss of depth perception had impaired her fighting ability more than Weiss realized, and she was still trying to regain her combat instincts.

Weiss gave a long, heavy sigh. Everything may finally be feeling right again, but it also felt so backwards.

_Backwards._

The thought nearly brought a halt to Weiss’ movements as she climbed the ramp. Weiss, Ruby, and all the others, traveling from Argus to Mistral City… wasn’t this backwards? Wasn’t all of this wrong? She smacked her cheek hard enough for an audible pop to fill the air and shook her head. This feeling again. Where did it keep coming from?

***

“So, wait, what did you say he calls me?” Nora tapped her chin in confusion, tilting her head toward Weiss. The ‘normal’ cabin they’d been given was still surprisingly spacious, large enough to be divided into multiple bedrooms, a living room, and a dining room. Weiss was no stranger to expensive tastes, but this much space was surprising even to her. No wonder the trip was so expensive!

“You’re, uh, ‘Einherjar’, I think?” Weiss hesitated as she tried to remember, casting her glance back at Roman, who gave her a matter-of-fact nod. “You’re ‘Einherjar’, and Ren is ‘Streak’.”  
  
“Ein-what-what?” Nora whined, throwing her head back over the edge of the plush leather chair she was sitting in. The members of their team who weren’t currently out exploring had gathered in the living room, arranging the chairs in a semi-circle around the television. “That’s such a mouthful. Why can’t he just call me ‘Nora’?”

“Because that’s not how I do things, Einherjar.” Torchwick responded with a small shrug. Weiss, Jaune, and Oscar were seated on a long, black leather couch, with Ren and Nora pulling the armchairs around to face them on either end. Only Roman remained standing, resting her arms on the back of the couch behind Weiss. 

“He’s just a strange guy. It’s a hard habit to get him to change, though you get used to it after a while.” Weiss did her best to convey his sentiments to the rest of the group as they questioned him. She wasn’t sure how the subject had managed to fall on his nicknames for people… they’d originally been discussing their battle in town.   
  
“At least yours is a clever one. A reference to the same lost mythologies your surname comes from.” Ren offered his friend a reassuring nod, his fingertips moving to trace the strands of pink that had been worked into his bangs. “’Streak’ feels… a tad basic, by contrast.” 

“Yeah? Well, I’ll level with ya, Streak.” Torchwick extended his arm and flattened his palm upward. “I’ve known you for a week now… and your hair is the only thing about ya that’s left any impression on me at all.”   
  
“Roman!” Weiss chastised him with a frown, earning a cavalier wink in response. The rest of the group gave her a curious look. “H-he said he’ll think about coming up with something else later.”   
  
Ren pursed his lips at that, eyes narrowing, but after a moment he shrugged and leaned back in his seat. The discourse caused Jaune to cast his eyes toward Weiss next.  
  
“What about me? What’s my nickname?” Jaune’s voice reflected an innocent, oblivious curiosity. Roman looked him over for a moment before responding.  
  
“…Vomit-boy.” He said in a perfectly deadpan voice, his face expressionless. Despite herself, Weiss had to stifle a giggle as she conveyed his words to her friend. Jaune jerked back in his seat, his arms coiling around his stomach as though he’d just been stabbed.  
  
“H-how did he even find out about that!?” Jaune’s voice was barely a whimper as he cast his gaze downward, shaking his head in resignation. Weiss could sympathize with the feeling of having a nickname you couldn’t escape from…even if her ability to pity him was laced with the guilt of being the one responsible for telling Roman about his nickname in the first place.

“There, there, Jaune.” Oscar said in his most soothing voice, sliding his palm up and down along the taller boy’s back. “Someday you’ll earn a more noble nickname. I’m sure of it!”

“No, no. It’s fine. I’ve made my peace with the fact that ‘vomit boy’ is going to be enshrined on my tombstone, at this rate.” Jaune didn’t bother to lift his head, offering a small laugh that did little to make it seem like he wasn’t crestfallen. “Someday I’ll be a legendary huntsman who helped to defeat the immortal witch, and children from generations beyond ours will point at my name in their textbooks and laugh, ‘Hey! Don’t they mean vomit boy?’”

“Jaune, is everything okay?” Weiss gave her friend a concerned look. It wasn’t as though he ever enjoyed being teased about that nickname, but his reaction here felt a little stronger than usual. Jaune chuckled in reply, staring down at his shoes.  
  
“I’m… well, actually, I guess it’s not.” He sighed and his body tensed a bit as he cocked his head to the side to meet Weiss’ gaze. His eyes moved from her to the space behind her, where the invisible Torchwick stood. “I guess I’ve just had a lot to think about lately.”

“Oh? You know we’re here if you need to talk, right?” Weiss scanned the blonde boy curiously, her thoughts falling back to the aftermath of Ozpin’s revelation. Jaune had been acting like his usual self, perhaps more so than any of her friends, barring Nora, but it seemed even he was struggling internally.  
  
Well, that was only fair. No one here was closer to Pyrrha than Jaune was, the fall was only a few months ago, and Argus was…

Weiss exhaled sharply as the realization hit her. Of course Jaune wasn’t okay! How could she have forgotten?

“Oh, well, hey, I didn’t mean to bring the mood down, guys.” Jaune saw Weiss’ turmoil, and gave her a reassuring smile as he hoisted himself up onto his feet with a grunt. He looked to each of his friends in turn, raising a hand to scratch his cheek awkwardly. “I think I’ll go help Ruby double-check our gear while we have some free time. May as well make myself useful if I’m gonna spend time moping.” 

“Are you certain, Jaune? In that case, I’ll go with you. I sense that you shouldn’t be alone right now.” Concern was heavy in Ren’s magenta eyes as he watched the blonde boy stand.

“…Honestly, I’d appreciate that. Thanks, Ren.” Jaune hesitated a moment before accepting the offer. Ren gave him a warm smile before turning to face Nora.

“Would you care to accompany us, Nora?” Ren asked, pulling himself to a stand. The pair of them were usually inseparable, but the orange-haired girl shook her head at the invitation with a negative grunt.

“Nah, I try not to spend time off doin’ productive stuff. Think I’ll stick with these guys and just chill for a while.” Nora shot her friend a capricious grin and leaned back in her chair. “If you wanna do my part of the maintenance while you’re down there, I’ll owe you one, Ren!”

“I’d never deprive you the satisfaction of a job well done. You’ll have to do your share eventually.” Ren shook his head, an amused chuckle escaping his throat as he gave Jaune a supportive pat on the back. “I’ll leave you to your relaxation until then, however. Let’s all get back together for dinner.”

The pair of them departed, leaving just Oscar, Weiss, Roman, and Nora behind. Weiss looked Jaune over a final time as they walked away. He was wearing an insincere smile, but his head was angled down, and his normally cheerful blue eyes were more unfocused and lifeless than she’d ever seen before. She wanted to find some words to comfort him, but what could she say?

The remaining huntsmen sat in silence for a moment after Ren and Jaune left, as the cheerful mood from before seemed punctured.

“Have you ever been to Mistral before, Mr. Torchwick?” Oscar was the first to break the spell of silence, his voice wavering a bit, as he wasn’t sure whether he should be speaking or not. The cheerful young man had turned his freckled face to Roman. “I hear this ship has this big glass platform on the far end.”

Roman’s brow twitched in surprise.

“Why do I keep forgetting you can see me, Hayseed? And don’t call me ‘mister’.” Torchwick groaned, but despite his grumpy tone he nodded his head. “Y’know what, though? Let’s go. Startin’ to look like you kids are gonna throw a pity party if we stick around any longer.”

Weiss grunted at that, but she couldn’t deny he might be right. It was important to keep their spirits up for now, though. Jaune would only beat himself up more if he realized he was responsible for bringing the mood down so much. Thus, they agreed to the activity and headed out of the room, stopping just long enough to confirm where their destination was.

The halls of the ferry were unlike any airship Weiss had ever been on, save for the Schnee family’s private vessel. The halls were wide enough for a group of six to walk side-by-side and still have plenty of room on either end, with walls paneled by dark cherrywood, and deep burgundy carpets so soft and plush that Weiss could feel her feet sink into them with each step, as if she were walking through snow.

“We should relax while we can.” Weiss said with a nod as they began to walk, taking note of the numbers above each hall they passed as she tried to remember the route they were taking. “Once we reach Haven, we’ll have to be on our guard constantly, until we’re certain the relic is safe.”

“That relic thing, right? No need to stress too bad. We got this, Ice Queen!” Nora, in high spirits as ever, was the only member of the group who took the notion of ‘fighting for the fate of the world’ in stride. Weiss’ default urge was to lecture her for being careless, but someone like Nora was important to have around, especially with emotions running this high.

“If that’s your attitude, you’ve already lost.” Roman said. He’d been walking behind Weiss as the group traversed the hall, responding to Nora’s confidence with a narrowed glance. “You guys have obviously never tried to prevent a theft before.”

“Hmph! We’ve chased down a few thieves in our time, Roman. A few I could name if I were so inclined.” Weiss responded curtly, giving the crook a gentle reminder of how many times he’d been thwarted in their brief history together. This earned the Ice Queen a mischievous smile from her ghostly partner.

“Oh, I freely admit that the record between us has been a touch… one-sided, dear.” Roman shrugged off her barbs, snickering, “but, what I’m hearing is, you’ve never actually stopped a theft from taking place. Just picked up the pieces afterward? Sloppy, Weiss.” He grinned, and Weiss scowled.

“What? Is Torchy talking smack? Don’t let him get to you. Whether we gotta face Cinder or Salem or a thousand Grimm, we’ll knock ‘em all down!” Nora offered enthusiastically.

“Y’see, that’s what I’m talking about, Einherjar.” Roman snapped his gloved fingers, addressing the only person in their group who couldn’t hear him. “Framing it that way shows you don’t understand how thieves operate. You don’t stop a thief with strength or even with speed. You stop ‘em with perception.”

“Perception? I think I get it.” Oscar tapped his freckled cheek as he looked up at the taller man. “You mean you protect yourself from a thief by paying attention to them, right Mr. Torchwick?”

“Again, enough with the ‘mister’.” Groaned Torchwick as he rested his forehead against his palm. “Well, whatever. Half credit for the answer. If a thief worth his salt is somewhere you can see him, then he wants to be seen, so paying attention to him is playing right into his hands. You protect yourself from a thief by figuring out what it is he ‘wants’ you to pay attention to.

“Was that… supposed to make sense, Roman?” Weiss cast a concerned blue eye back at him and rested a hand on her hip. Oscar gave the thief a confused hum, and Nora just looked back and forth at the two of them, trying to figure out what she was missing out on.

“Okay, I’m not communicating well here, let’s start over. Ahem.” Roman took a deep breath. “The essence of theft is misdirection. Even a child can protect his lien from a thief he sees coming. Bandits might swing by and take what they want by force, but those of us with two braincells to spare do things with a bit more class. I mean, look at me.”

Roman widened his base as he extended his arms, inviting the two to look carefully at the outfit he was wearing.

“I don’t -just- dress this way because I have excellent taste, you know. It’s striking. People take one look at me, and they think, ‘this guy’s trouble’. So, as I’m walking down the street, they keep their eyes on me. They tense up, they turn their bodies, they watch me carefully and hold their breath until I pass. By the time I’m gone, my partner has already slipped behind them and swiped their wallets.”

Huh! That explanation did give Weiss pause. She’d wondered why someone who wanted to commit crimes without being caught would dress in such a… conspicuous manner. She’d just assumed Roman had seen that one movie as a kid. ‘Orange-something?’ She’d never seen it, herself, though she knew it by reputation.

“Likewise, if you heard a person shout ‘someone stole my wallet!’ out of the blue, what would you do? Bring your hand to your wallet, right? Make sure it’s still there? Well, thanks for that. Everyone in the crowd just showed the thief where they keep their money. We make our living by paying more attention to our environment than everyone else.”

“You think we’re being tricked, somehow?” Weiss paused for a moment and turned to look at him properly. Roman extended his palm and arched his shoulder in reply.

“Maybe. The Witch is high on her own sense of power, but she can be crafty when she wants to be. Keeping an eye out is the least you can do to protect this McGuffin of yours.”

“Mr. Torchwick, would you be willing to help us plan our defense of Haven? It sounds like we’re stepping into your wheelhouse.” Oscar asked.

“Me? Stopping something from being stolen? Well, that’d be a change of pace.” Roman smiled wryly. “Frankly, if the Witch’s boss really does wanna destroy the world, part of me feels like helping her, but if you brats want to play hero that bad, I guess I’ll lend you a hand. As long as Weiss is around, this world still has at least one thing in it that’s worth protecting.”

Weiss’ face began to burn so intensely that someone must have set her skin on fire. It seemed to have shown in her expression, too, because Roman began to gently laugh as he looked at her.

“Don’t think about it too hard, Weissicle. I’ve been in a weird mood lately. Shall we go see the sights?” He was trying to downplay it, but Weiss couldn’t help noticing that he refused to look her in the eye and had brought the back of his hand to his cheek awkwardly.   
  
“Sure, Roman.” Weiss laughed gently and rolled her eyes, a moment of silence falling upon the group as they finally arrived at the deck. He’d become a lot softer in the months since they’d first teamed up… not that Weiss disliked it.

A thick, transparent wall of glass shielded the deck area from the heavy wind outside, with the material also making up the floor beneath them as they stepped out onto it, allowing them to look down on the sprawling landscape of Mistral beneath them as they walked to a nearby table.

“Aaaa-ny-way, everyone’s been discussing this heavy stuff way too much lately! Starting to worry that you guys have forgotten how to relax.” Nora was the first to take her seat, kicking her feet up onto the round coffee table as she let out a melodramatic sigh.

“You’re probably right, Nora.” Weiss admitted as she took the seat across from her friend and folded her hands together atop the table. “With everything that’s happened to all of us lately, it’s easy to get bogged down in thinking about what we should be doing. Perhaps a little time to unwind would help us stay grounded.”

“Sorry if I’m the reason we got pulled back into talking about the mission.” Oscar bowed his head a bit as he claimed a seat on the third side of the small square table. He scratched his cheek as he looked back at Nora. “Mr. Ozpin’s memories can be a bit overwhelming sometimes. I’m grateful to have his guidance, but it helps to talk about it sometimes.”

“I’m not asking for an apology; I’m asking for a change of subject! Like, uh…” Nora bobbed her head back and forth, her eyes scanning their surroundings thoughtfully. When her gaze fell to the ground, she suddenly grunted. “Just look at the view! From up here you can really appreciate how beautiful this kingdom is.”

Weiss followed her gaze, looking down at the scenery far beneath them. The airship had long since left the city behind, leaving nothing beneath them but an endless set of wide, green fields. Farmland? Each field was lush and flat, organized into terraces that gradually worked their way up the tall hills. Weiss’ soft blue eyes moved along the floor and out the window to the side, staring out into the swampland far in the distance.

The world expanded as far as she could see in all directions. Wide, vast, and beautiful. No matter how many times or in how many countries she saw this view from up high, Weiss couldn’t help but contrast it to the stifling, claustrophobic halls of the manor.

“I wish we’d had more time to stop and appreciate the scenery. As a girl I used to dream about seeing the world like this. Her voice was wistful and quiet as she slowly turned her attention back to the others. “We should all come back here when everything is over.”

“Heck yeah we should!” Nora beamed at Weiss. “Traveling for work isn’t the same thing as traveling for a vacation. Not even close.”

“I think it’s a wonderful idea, too. If I’m able to go back to my peaceful, ordinary life, I’d love to show y’all my hometown. Well, it’s just a farming village, so not a lot to see, but even so I wouldn’t mind sharing it with you guys.” Oscar said. Weiss wasn’t familiar with Oscar yet, but he seemed like a kindhearted boy. She was about to say something to him, but before she could she was cut off by a surprising source.

“Could always just drag ‘em by during the harvest festival, right Hayseed?” Roman’s voice had an almost somber quality to it as he spoke; he stood beside Weiss, his back turned to the group, and looked down at the farmland beneath them with an impenetrable expression on his face. “Farm towns are black holes of boredom from which nothing stimulating can escape, but they manage to almost pretend to be interesting when the harvest festival rolls around. ‘Almost’ being the operative word.”

Oscar’s eyes widened in surprise, but the suggestion did bring a warm smile to his lips.

“That’s a good point, actually. As a kid I always looked forward to the festival.” Oscar looked down for a moment before turning his gaze toward Roman. “You’re surprisingly knowledgeable, Mr. Torchwick! I never would have guessed you knew anything about farm life.”

“I keep telling you not to call me ‘mister’.” Torchwick swaggered confidently as he turned toward the table and he waved a wrist as he spoke. “You’re damned right you never would have guessed, though. It’s a fact I work hard to cover up, but I know a thing or two about growin’ up bored. I’m an unofficial expert when it comes to both pumpkins and bumpkins.”

His phrasing earned a chuckle from Weiss, though she was quick to also give him a stern glare for the mild insult. When he responded to her look with a shrug and a sly smile, though, she couldn’t help softening her expression. It was kind of comforting to see him bantering like this again, after the way he’d been acting when she first met her friends.

Honestly, she was as shocked by what he’d offered as Oscar. She already knew firsthand about the town he’d grown up in, but she didn’t expect him to empathize with Oscar about it. Talking about his past, even in such a vague, joking way as this, was something he never did before.

Roman had been quick to recompose himself after their meeting by the lake that morning. He’d never spoke of it again afterward, and before long he had returned to his usual self, but Weiss seeing him like this gave her a little hope. Maybe he was finally starting to open up a little bit.

“Is that right? Makes me happy to hear, either way. If we have similar backgrounds, maybe I can grow up to be as cool as you are.” Oscar was laughing a bit, taking the backhanded language in stride.

“Oh, ain’t no one on this planet capable of being as cool as I am, Hayseed.” Torchwick said with an annoyed grunt. He looked the boy over thoughtfully before continuing, “Won’t say you don’t have some potential, though—ever considered the ‘henchman’ career path? You’d make a hell of a dust smuggler. Remember what I said about misdirection? Well, ain’t no one gonna have their guard up around a babyface like you.”

“A henchman? Me?” Oscar cocked his head and crossed his arms… Weiss worried he may be taking Torchwick a bit too seriously. “I don’t think so m-uh, Torchwick. I don’t want to hurt anyone.”

“Kindly refrain from corrupting the youth, Roman.” Weiss said curtly, reaching over to smack him in the back. She’d halfway expected him to phase through the attack, but instead he endured the playful blow with the shake of his head.

“Eh, I deserved that one. Gotta keep on eye to the future of my gang, though, and you still haven’t accepted your standing invitation, Weissguy.”

“W-well, I’m flattered by the interest, but I don’t think I’m suited to that line of work. Oh, but if you ever need help with farm work, I’m your man… once all this is over, I mean.” Oscar smiled nervously. He raised his hands and waved his palms as if to try to calm everyone down before a fight could start. I wouldn’t mind visiting your hometown sometime, too, Mr. Torchwick.”

Roman was quiet for a few seconds after that, eventually just repeating, “…I told ya to stop calling me, ‘mister’, kid.”

“Um, guys…” Nora hesitantly spoke up. As all of this had been going on, Nora had been shifting her gaze from Weiss to Oscar, trying to follow the exchange as best she could. “Still can’t hear Torchy, over here! Mind letting me in on the conversation?”

“Ah! I’m so sorry, Nora.” Weiss said with a soft nod. Roman had been her only companion for such a long time. Combine that with the fact that she’d finally found someone else who could see him, and she sometimes forgot he was invisible to most of the world. Weiss leaned back in her chair, preparing to bring her neglected friend up to speed, when she felt her scroll vibrate in her pocket.

Hmmm… were Ruby and Yang already finished? Maybe she should invite the rest of the gang out here, as well. It’d be fun to take the chance to all relax together. The thought brought a warmth to her chest that spread through her body as she extended her scroll and opened the messaging program, but that pleasant feeling melted into an icy chill when she read the text she’d received:

TO WEISS SCHNEE,

WE OF THE FABLED WOULD HAVE YOU STAND TRIAL FOR YOUR TRANSGRESSION, BOTH IN HARBORING THE FUGITIVE AND IN SLAYING OUR KIN.

TAKE THE GUEST ELEVATOR TO THE LOWER LEVEL AND MEET US IN THE EMPLOYEE STOREROOM. THE PIN TO UNLOCK THE DOOR IS 24601. YOU MAY KEEP THE FRECKLED BOY AND THE BRUTE WITH THE HAMMER AS YOUR ESCORTS. YOU HAVE ONE HOUR TO ARRIVE.

SHOULD THE DEADLINE PASS WITHOUT YOUR ACQUIESENCE, OR SHOULD YOU SEEK THE AID OF OTHERS FROM YOUR CLAN, YOU WILL BE JUDGED GUILTY IMMEDIATELY, AND THE PASSENGERS OF THIS VESSEL WILL SUFFER FOR YOUR IMPROPRIETY. OUR EYES ARE EVER UPON YOU.

HOWEVER, SHOULD YOU COOPERATE, AND SHOULD WE FIND YOU PLEASANT TO OUR EYES, NONE NEED PERISH TODAY EXCEPT THE FUGITIVE. WE AWAIT YOUR PRESENCE. >;-D

-TEAM DBL

Weiss read the message three times over, some part of her hoping she may find she’d misunderstood it. Where before her heart had felt light and warm, it now pounded in her chest. The organ was so heavy it felt like it may sink down into the pit of her stomach at any moment.

Things had been going so well for so long. She’d had no reason to think about the talking Grimm since she’d left Atlas and Mantle behind her—especially not after the one-two punch that was her reunion with her friends and the revelation of Ozpin’s old enemy. Sure, she’d warned her friends just to be safe, but deep down she was starting to let herself hope that the whole incident had been a one-off fluke that would never come up again.

“Roman, look.” She elbowed the ghost softly, jerking her head down to the screen when he looked her way. He scanned the message in silence, his eyes narrowing as he seemed to reach the same realization Weiss had.

“That crowd again, huh? Y’know, they would be the kind of assholes who caps lock every word in a text, wouldn’t they?” Torchwick shook his head bitterly, casting his gaze to the side. “…and what the hell is that emoticon? Trying to be cute? Did they not realize there were actual emoticons they could have used? That was the creepiest part of the whole message!”

Weiss sighed, turning her attention to Nora and Oscar, who were staring in confusion at their exchange.

…What should she do now?

****

**EX Chapter 1-- The Dog, The Flame, The Gem, and The Candle**

**Emerald Sustrai**

How was Mercury always so calm!?

He was walking beside the Beowulf Grimm without a care in the world—wearing the same bored, mildly pissed-off expression as ever. Emerald normally found his lack of regard exasperating, but right now she was kind of jealous… she was struggling to maintain her cool. 

…They were both being way saner than Watts was, though. He wasn’t just relaxed around the Grimm; he was riding atop the boarbatusk that led their little procession through the woods.   
  
“How are you comfortable with that?” Emerald looked up at the doctor with an agitated grimace, her red eyes narrowed thoughtfully. Watts gave a surprised snort at the sudden attention, drawing a knuckle along his moustache as he looked back at her.

“Hmm? Oh, the Grimm… Well, it’s not as though I’m a fan of wasted effort. They seem docile enough, and the Grimm-man over there made it look easy, so I found myself curious.”

…The Grimm-man.

Emerald’s grimace finished its transformation into a full, heavy frown as she looked behind them. Most of their current party was composed of people Emerald was used to. Watts was at the head of their column, with Cinder behind him, followed by her and Mercury in the back. This new guy, though? Nothing about him sat right with Emerald. He was the reason they were walking with all these different types of Grimm wreathed around them like guard dogs, and she was having a hard time getting used to having such destructive creatures relaxing so close to her.

He brought up the rear of their column, his tall frame lying flat atop the back of an Ursa Grimm. None of them had been especially talkative since setting out that morning, but he hadn’t spoken so much as a word, seeming to doze and leave the walking to the Grimm he controlled.

“Do my comrades distress you, Green Girl? I’d hoped to keep our forces compact, but I’m not so insensitive as to overlook a lady’s discomfort.” The reclining figure asked, his voice deep and playful. He was resting on his hands, lying flat on his back atop the creature-- Emerald was curious how he could tell she was looking at him from that angle. She realized the answer as she looked to the Beowulf walking beside her. Its eyes were glowing a bright neon yellow as it gazed down at her.

These new recruits didn’t simply control the Grimm as Salem did, they could borrow their senses, as well. Emerald had been informed of this, alongside the others, but that didn’t make seeing it in action any less creepy for her. She sighed, turning her eyes toward Cinder, as if to remind herself to stay calm. If Cinder was fine with this, then so was she.

“No, it’s fine. You said they’re harmless.” Emerald said, her voice a bit staggered despite her trying to mask how shaken she was. It was true that she’d never seen Grimm behave like these were, even when Salem led them. A dozen of them had been gathered around the party before they departed, like a kind of honor-guard, and the pack wandered meekly alongside the humans as they marched through Mistral. Seeing them up close like this, the Creatures of Grimm felt more like animals in a petting zoo than beasts of pure destruction.

“Are you the kind of human who sacrifices her own happiness for the sake of the whole, Green girl? Perhaps for the sake of someone special?” The newcomer chuckled at his own observation, raising a hand and swaying his fingers in a dismissive gesture. “Well, regardless, I spoke true. This rabble is indeed quite harmless to my allies.”

“Hmph.” Emerald didn’t bother hiding her annoyance at his attempt to analyze her, turning back to face the rest of the group. Okay, no! Everyone was being entirely too calm about all of this. Not just the Grimm, but everything! These two show up out of the blue one day and claim to be their allies, and Salem just accepts it? Maybe it was just Emerald’s old lifestyle keeping her on edge. She knew firsthand how much damage you could do to someone by convincing them you were worthy of their trust.

The man laying atop the Grimm sighed heavily and hoisted himself up into a seated position, turning around to look down at Emerald as he continued speaking.

“Now, now, Green Girl! I meant no offense. We’re comrades, the lot of us. I’m prone to jest, but I find my sense of humor is often unpalatable to humans. If I’ve caused you offense, do accept my apology. We should be learning more about one another, not indulging in schadenfreude.” The Grimm-man’s voice was deep enough to almost make a listener shudder… an effect made more unsettling by the detached, apathetic way he spoke. He looked like a man in the earlier years of middle age, with short, dark-green hair that was parted neatly down the center of his head, save for the bangs, which fell down the length of his forehead in a series of sharp points.

“Stop calling me that. I have a name, it’s ‘Emerald’.” The young woman forced herself to meet the gaze of his golden eyes, even though knowing he was looking at her sent a primal chill down her spine. He responded to her show of courage with a curt little bow, remaining seated atop his mount.

“A find name indeed, Emerald. See? This is how comrades should conduct ourselves! In the spirit of that camaraderie, allow me to formally introduce myself to those of you besides my master. I have the privilege to be called ‘Chulainn’. Second born child and eldest son of the Fabled.” The bow aside, the smile he constantly wore spread wider across his stubbled face as he gazed down at Emerald. She couldn’t shake the feeling that he both sensed her discomfort and enjoyed it.

Emerald shook her head dismissively at that and let out an agitated groan. She didn’t understand why Cinder accepted him into her command! She didn’t understand why Salem allowed the two monsters to join, either. Salem clearly didn’t trust them, or she wouldn’t have immediately separated them. Well, at the end of the day, Emerald never understood anything that was going on. She believed in Cinder, and that was the extent of her investment in this scheme.

“Your disdain for me is clear, so I’ll not make you suffer my attention any longer, Emerald.” Chulainn’s smile widened as he read the expression on her face. That smile of his! It would perhaps be reassuring if it ever once seemed sincere. Instead, it always hung beneath a pair of golden eyes that stared out at the world with a glint of sadistic curiosity, like a child examining an insect after pulling off its legs. “Though, while I have you, would you indulge me with the answer to a question? Are you the kind of human who favors the summer or the winter? …The heat or the cold?”

“What? Why?” The question earned a moment of silence and a raised brow from Emerald, who seemed to stall out as she processed the abrupt shift in topic. 

“Idle curiosity! As I said, comrades should learn more about one another. You’ve no obligation to answer if I’ve aroused your suspicion.”

“N-no, I’m…” Emerald sighed, thinking over what sort of game this guy was trying to play. Her eyes returned to Cinder, still walking at the front of the group with her hood pulled over her head, lost in a world of her own thoughts. “…I prefer the summer. It’s a lot easier to find shade than it is to stay warm when you don’t have a roof over your head.”

  
“Ah, a pragmatic answer… or perhaps a passionate one? Regardless, thank you for your candor, Emerald, I feel I’ve come to know you a bit better now.” A dry cackle escaped Chulainn’s throat as he gave Emerald a nod, his gaze shifting from her to Mercury. “What of you, then, Silver Boy? You a man of the summer, or the winter?”

“Don’t really give a damn one way or the other.” Mercury replied immediately, a bored yawn escaping his lips. He barely seemed to be paying attention to what was going on either, though he did pause to meet Emerald’s eyes and give her a shrug of shared confusion… the closest thing to empathy he generally had to offer.

“Ah! Apathy is indeed an acceptable response to such a question.” Chulainn nodded his head thoughtfully as he looked Mercury over. “Still, such a dour face! Did my manner of address offend you?”

“Don’t know what to tell ya, it’s the only face I’ve got.” Mercury said simply. “I’m literally incapable of giving less of a crap what you call me.”

For a moment, the fable stared at Mercury, an amused light in his golden eyes.

“Now I see. You’re a human whose soul has been wrapped in high, barbed walls. Fascinating! I rather like you, Silver Boy.”

“…Yeah, well, the feeling ain’t mutual by a longshot, ya smiley creep.”

“’Smiley creep’?” Chulainn hummed in amusement and closed his eyes. “Ah, so that’s how you perceive me. It’s true, I’m often smiling. The Grimm are emotionless beings, you understand. When a soul was thrust upon me, it brought emotional sensations I’d never paused to consider before, and each of those sensations has an expression to match it. Fear, ambition, lust, pain… I adore all human emotions and expressions, but I freely admit that smiling is my favorite.”

He tapped the side of his cheek with a fingertip, as if to call attention to the smile that had remained there for as long as they’d known him.

“So, I smile whenever I can. My motto is ‘Work with a smile, and always go the extra mile’.”

“How wonderful for you. Really.” Mercury was as curt as ever, finally cocking his head to look at the smiling creature, though only for a moment before rolling his eyes and resuming ignoring him. All of this seemed endlessly amusing to Chulainn, whose eyes shifted targets again—from Mercury up to Watts.

“Oh, Winter for me, definitely.” Watts had been watching the exchange between the three of them, taking about as much pleasure from Emerald and Mercury’s disquiet and annoyance as Chulainn had. When he saw the attention shift to him, he answered the question without waiting for it to be asked. “Hell of a lot easier to keep computer equipment from overheating when I don’t have to fight the elements. To say nothing of the cold weather keeping people indoors. Any excuse to minimize my interaction with simpletons is a blessing.”

“Another pragmatist! I suppose such beliefs are well-suited to a faction such as ours. Your candor is likewise appreciated, Doctor.” Chulainn gave Watts an appreciative nod.

“So, it turns out when a Grimm is given the power of speech, their taste in conversation is this banal? I must say, this is a fascinating discovery.” Watts voice was dripping with the sardonic contempt he possessed for everyone on the planet who wasn’t Salem, but the Fable accepted his words with his usual good humor. 

“Banal? So, the value of my line of questioning evades even your sharp eyes? How very tragic. Heat is the natural byproduct of life, Doctor. Thus, when a living thing is surrounded by the bitter cold, the chill begins to sink inside them, and their living warmth struggles against it. The contrast between hot and cold is the contrast between life and death itself.” Chulainn said simply, as if it explained anything to do with his question.

“Ah, but I digress, don’t I? I believe that leaves only you, Master.” Finally, the Grimm-man turned his attention toward Cinder. He rested his elbows on his knees, folded his hands, and laid his chin atop his wrists as he called out to her. “Naturally, a humble dog cannot demand an answer of you, but I’m quite curious: Are you a fan of the summer heat or the winter snows?”

Emerald followed the Fable’s gaze toward the back of the Autumn Maiden, letting out an agitated grunt. No one knew Cinder better than she did—Cinder would answer ‘summer’, for sure! Cinder’s element was fire, after all. Flames and heat were a source of both comfort and power for her, and she wielded both with more familiarity and grace than Emerald had ever seen before.

“Hmm…” Cinder chuckled as she came to a halt, casting a single amber eye back over her shoulder at the fable. Her voice was deep by female standards, and she insisted upon speaking in a cadence that was both sultry and aloof. It wasn’t a role she was able to fill as convincingly as she seemed to believe, though emerald had always suspected that was because she used the persona of a ‘femme fatale’ to protect herself from the world. “If you’re truly so curious, then I’ll tell you. Given the choice between them I will always take the winter.”

“Wait, what?” Emerald accidentally voiced her surprise aloud. Even for something as petty as this, she disliked guessing something wrong about the person she cared about most.

“Oh? We have something in common, Cinder? Gotta say, that’s somewhat revolting.” Watts seemed more amused by the distraction than anything. He took a deep breath and stroked his moustache as Emerald’s confusion brought a smirk to his lips.

“I’m a flame, Emerald. Winter is the season of ice, snow, and cold.” Cinder turned to face her subordinate. Confident, amused madness flickered in her eyes as she flattened a palm toward the sky and a pillar of fire erupted from her fingertips. “When the environment around me is so starkly opposed to me, then it’s all the easier to watch as I slowly crush it into submission. How could I not enjoy such a breathtaking spectacle?”

Emerald’s eyes widened at that, but only for an instant before she gave Cinder a resolute nod. She was so driven to control everything… it was a trait that had earned her countless enemies in the years Emerald had known her, but Emerald only ever felt a pitying kinship for her. What pain must she have endured to make her this way? Part of Emerald wished she could find a way to talk Cinder out of the path she’d chosen, but even if her boss kept her current course—even if she continued to do horrible things—Emerald knew that there was something beautiful inside her.

“Ah, yes!” Chulainn raised his head so that he could offer a soft, polite clap at Cinder’s answer. “That is indeed in line with what I know of you. I can scarcely recall a single word you’ve spoken that didn’t reflect your desire to dominate and control. Is power what you value most of all, then?”

“Power is what matters most to everything.” Cinder corrected him firmly, a smile just as broad as Chulainn’s, and just as empty, spreading across her lips, “Power is life itself. We all strive to obtain it, with the strong flourishing while the weak are devoured.”

“Hmm… is that so?” Chulainn’s smile began to waver for the first time as he tilted his head to look down at Cinder more carefully. “Maiden of Autumn, I am compelled to ask: is your soul truly so shallow?”

After he posed his question, everything fell silent, save for the heavy footfalls of the Grimm that surrounded them. All eyes fell to Cinder.

“It is! You don’t know her very well, so let me assure you: her soul really is exactly that shallow!” Watts held back his laughter for a moment, but quickly lost control as he began to belt out a raucous laugh so violent that he nearly tumbled off his mount. Cinder was still wearing the mask of smug, dismissive confidence that she defaulted to when dealing with those beneath her, but Emerald could see that her brow had twitched for just the slightest fraction of a second.

“Where the hell do you get off talking to her like that!?” Emerald practically growled as she stopped everything to turn and glower at the Fable. Cinder may be too proud to express her anger in this situation, but she sure wasn’t! “As if a monster like you could ever understand what we’ve been through!”

“So, you do fancy her, then? Wonderful! It pleases me greatly to know my instincts served me well. Yours is a pairing I support most strongly— ‘OTP’, as the human children say.” The sound of Chulainn’s laughter joined with Watts’ as his smile grew so wide as to part his lips and reveal the sharp, carnivorous fangs concealed within. Great, Emerald thought, that was just what their group needed… another Watts. “Rest assured, Emerald. Before this war is out, if it be within my power, I will oversee your union personally.” 

Emerald felt the surge of anger from before beginning to grow and redouble within her, her body shaking a bit as she stared up at him. This contemptuous, condescending creature. Nothing good would come from trusting him. She was sure of that now.

“Don’t try to twist it! I believe in Cinder b-“ Despite her protests, she could feel her cheeks burning a bit at his words. She couldn’t even finish trying to rationalize her passion before Cinder cut her off, though.

“It’s quite alright, Emerald. Dear Chulainn was simply trying to get a rise out of me.” Cinder’s eyes narrowed in amused contempt as she took a few steps back and rested a hand on Emerald’s shoulder. This gesture prompted the heat of the green thief’s face to intensify even as Cinder paid her little actual mind; the Autumn Maiden’s eyes remained fixed upon Chulainn as she spoke. “Is that not so?”

“That transparent, was I? How very tragic.” Chulainn looked to the side and jerked his shoulders upward. “’Tis true, though. Bringing anguish to humans is a source of tremendous joy for me. I could not fathom a guess as to whether it’s because of my nature as a Grimm, or because my soul itself is twisted. Be assured, all the same, that I am a loyal dog. You’re the one who was entrusted with my leash, Maiden of Autumn, so your will is my own. Above Lady Salem, my sister, or even my creator.”

He looked into Cinder’s eyes again. She looked right back. Emerald, accidentally caught between them, shivered at the intensity of the invisible struggle.

“Very reassuring, but you shouldn’t make such promises lightly, Chulainn. I like to use my pawns until they break.” Cinder’s voice was cool and confident, and her words gave Emerald hope. Cinder didn’t trust this monster, after all. She was just using him in the same way she used everyone. …Everyone except Emerald, of course.

“Oho? Then I shall serve you until flesh sloughs from my bones. Clearly the goblet of autumn has left you wanting. Should you desire it, I’ll gather winter, spring, and summer as well. Fill them to the brim and set them before you that you may slake your thirst for power! In my experience, few things bring humans greater anguish than granting them that which they believe they desire most.”

Emerald tried to will Cinder to look her way, so she could see how fervently the green girl was shaking her head. Growing up on the street, she’d learned quickly that the people who made the grandest promises were the ones you had to be most on your guard against. Well, true though that was, if Emerald were being honest with herself, she really wanted Cinder to acknowledge her. To let Emerald be of assistance to her, even in an area where she didn’t need much help. It was so vexing, trying to get close to someone who was so sealed off.

“An enticing proposal. In that case, I look forward to working with you.” Cinder’s tone was polite, and she offered a final condescending nod before she drew her hood back up over her head. “Should our negotiations with the Branwen fall short, perhaps I’ll have my forces sit back and watch while you do the fighting yourself.”

“If such is your command, this lowly dog obeys.” Chulainn immediately accepted, his own eyes carrying a condescending energy of their own. “See? This is why I so love small talk. All of us have grown closer as comrades on this fine winter day!”

“Wait, all of us?” Mercury’s voice came from behind Emerald, causing her to jerk in surprise. “You ain’t gonna play 20 questions with your little tagalong?”

Mercury’s words called Emerald’s mind to someone she hadn’t thought about since before their group had headed out. When Chulainn had confirmed his place by Cinder’s side, he insisted upon bringing someone else along with him. A tall figure in a long white cloak whose hood was pulled firmly over their head and face. The figure had traveled on the blind side of the Ursa that Chulainn had mounted, completely silent the entire time they’d been marching. Since Emerald had never been all that interested in him to begin with, he’d quickly slipped from her thoughts.

“’Tagalong’? You’re breakin’ my heart here, Quicksilver.” A flippant, arrogant male voice came from beneath the hood. It was so familiar that for a moment it brought a halt to Emerald’s breath. Recognizing that he’d become the topic of discussion, the figure rounded the beast he’d been concealed behind, stepping toward the group with long, confident strides as he reached a gloved hand to his hood and pulled the fabric back.

Emerald narrowed her eyes… so, she’d recognized him, after all. A single piercing green eye stared out at them, because his left eye was concealed behind long red bangs that ended in three curved sections above his cheekbone. His bangs aside, the rest of his hair was short, and meticulously swept to the left side—a deceptively complicated style that implied an intense care for presentation.

“You really gonna stand there and tell me you didn’t recognize your ole pal Torchwick?” Roman Torchwick sneered as he raised a hand toward himself, his visible eye scanning each of the faces before him with barely restrained disgust. Mercury’s face was normally placid and unreadable, but his parted jaw betrayed a bit of his surprise at the sight of their old pawn’s return to them.

“So, the smiley creeper is a necromancer, then? Creepier than I thought.” Mercury said in an unamused tone, giving a soft snort. The young man shrugged his shoulders and looked away, quick to reassert how aggressively apathetic he was about most things.

“You’ve been alive all this time, huh?” Emerald crossed her arms as she looked him over. Honestly, it was a little bit of a relief. She’d never been close to him, and he’d always seemed to hate her, but it was nice to have someone in the group who was able to relate to the lifestyle she’d been forced to spend so much of her youth on.

“You’re surprised, dear? Surviving is what I do. It’s my whole gimmick.” Torchwick met her eyes and chuckled coldly. Was it really that simple? Well, they hadn’t wasted much time looking for him after the Fall. Cinder never shared her plans with Emerald but given her fondness for disposing of pawns the instant their use was concluded, and the fact that Torchwick had only been brought on to assist with the assault on Beacon, it was likely they would have killed him themselves, if he’d managed to return to them afterward.

“Mr. Torchwick here is just a little side-project of mine. You’re free to use him as you will, and if you’ve no need of him, he’s only here to observe as we work, so continue to pretend he isn’t here.” Chulainn took it upon himself to explain. Of the party, only Emerald seemed all that shocked to see Torchwick again. Watts had never known him to begin with, Mercury was Mercury, and Cinder liked to try to wear the mask of a chessmaster, when she could. “My sister and I have a pair of enemies whose path we’ll cross as we carry out Lady Salem’s will. This young man is a weapon that can be used to inflict anguish upon both at once, and we have established my adoration of anguish, have we not?”

A pair of enemies? Torchwick was a thief, though, wasn’t he? If they wanted to make someone suffer, they’d be better off turning to his little partner… she was almost frighteningly good at that.

“Is that so? In that case, welcome back to the fold, Roman.” Cinder said in a smooth, polite tone, though this was undercut a bit by the arrogant slant of her gaze. She stepped forward to extend a hand toward him, “I’m surprised you’d come back to us once you were free, given your feelings toward me.”

“Feelings toward you? Oh! That. Yeah, I’m over that now, Witch.” Roman furrowed his brow at her words before jerking his head, as if he suddenly remembered something important. He brought his right hand forward, but stopped halfway toward the hand Cinder had extended, and instead brought his own upward to massage the back of his neck. “We’re square now. Comrades… so if you wanted to go ahead and lower your guard around me, I’d appreciate it.” 

Cinder laughed. A long, low cackle that felt more contemptuous than cheerful. 

“Ever thinking highly of yourself, Roman! As if you were ever someone I needed to be on my guard around.”

“Easy now, my manifold human friends! Let’s not tear each other down when there are bandits we may direct our frustrations to.” Chulainn spoke as if he hoped to head off any tempers that may start flaring, though his perpetual smile made it hard to tell how sincere he was. His eyes took on a bright yellow glow for a second before flickering back to their usual gold. “The Grimm I sent ahead of our party has been slain, but I saw enough. We’ll reach the walls of the Branwen camp within the hour. Shall we go extend our olive branch?”

Cinder shook her head.

“The plan has changed now, actually. With Roman here, the alliance we seek is even more temporary than before. Let us lull them into cooperating with us, and then…” Cinder took a last, long look at Torchwick before turning her head up toward Chulainn, flashing the Fable a knowing glance. “… You’ll finally get the chance to display this vaunted loyalty of yours. I trust you take my meaning?”

“So in lieu of peace, we’ll be making war? Humans fighting among themselves? Tragic. How very, very tragic.” The joy of Chulainn’s constant smile reached his eyes for the first time; a malevolent glee lighting his gaze as his lips spread so wide as to almost expose every last fang in his humanoid maw. He bowed his head to Cinder and touched a hand to his chest.

“Then, allow me to obey your wish. I will rend the Branwen asunder… I will twist and melt their bodies and limbs into a glorious signpost which will guide my master’s fangs to the throat of the Spring Maiden.”

A low, feral sound began to rumble in Chulainn’s throat—something halfway between a growl and a laugh—but however happy this order made him; Emerald felt like her stomach had been transformed into lead. Things were starting to change so rapidly, and none of it felt right. Cinder may get the power she wanted, but could even the power of the maidens stop what they were setting into motion now?

She uncrossed her arms and clasped her hands together to head off the desire to tremble. She just had to trust in Cinder. When push came to shove, Cinder would justify Emerald’s faith in her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what happens when you take the largest content update I’ve ever written, throw in some snowstorms, and top it off with marathon power outages? You get a late chapter! As always, I apologize for breaking schedule, hopefully the bulk of content will make up for it. 
> 
> This was another chapter where my poor, naïve outline drastically underestimated how long a chapter would be when it was written out, and there was no halfway point to split it. This is also the first point in the story that calls for an EX-chapter.  
> Put simply, EX chapters are plot-important scenes that don’t involve the main pairings of the story. I don’t want to ever have these events be parts of standalone updates, since the bond between Weiss, Roman, and Neo is the central thrust of this story’s appeal, but these events provide necessary plot context for events later on, so I decided the best middle ground would be to set it up this way. EX chapters will always be treated as bonus content stapled onto the proper update, and never as the update itself. That way, the part of the story I’m personally invested in—the character dynamic—never slows down, and the audience is never left with chapters that do nothing but develop characters the supporting cast.  
> That said, the content of EX chapters *is* pretty plot relevant, so I do recommend reading ‘em! Most of ‘em are pretty okay, in my biased opinion.  
> Thanks as always for your patience and support, and I’ll see you guys soon!


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